Governor Greg Abbott Deploys State Guard and Thermal Scanners to Secure Texas Rail Freight Crossings

AUSTIN, TX — Governor Greg Abbott announced an operational expansion of Operation Lone Star on Tuesday, ordering the Texas Military Department and Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) to establish permanent rail inspection checkpoints at key international railway crossings connecting Texas to Mexico.

The deployment focuses on rail corridors in Eagle Pass, El Paso, and Laredo, which handle tens of thousands of commercial freight cars transporting manufactured auto parts, grain, and consumer goods daily.

High-Tech Gantry Inspections Under the governor's directive:

• DPS tactical units will operate high-throughput non-intrusive thermal scanning arches positioned on railway approaches, providing 360-degree infrared scans of passing railcars without requiring complete train stoppages.
• Texas National Guard soldiers will maintain 24/7 observation towers and drone surveillance along rail sidings to intercept smuggling attempts.
• State troopers will collaborate with railroad police forces to provide immediate tactical response to perimeter breaches.

"Transnational criminal cartels will exploit any vulnerability, including commercial freight networks, to traffic illegal drugs and humans into our communities," Governor Abbott said in an official statement. "Texas is stepping up where the federal government has failed, deploying cutting-edge thermal technology and state troops to secure our rail corridors and protect our citizens."

Commercial and Jurisdictional Friction Major freight rail carriers underscored the critical importance of uninterrupted freight flow, noting that billions of dollars in just-in-time manufacturing parts cross the Texas border weekly.

Civil rights organizations and legal scholars questioned state authority over interstate and international rail corridors, which are traditionally regulated under federal commerce and customs statutes.