Texas launches task force with drones and K9s to stop migrant 'gotaways'

Texas authorities have launched an elite task force that includes K9s and drones in order to track down and catch the thousands of undocumented migrants that have evaded Border Patrol agents, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety (TDPS). 

The new unit is composed of troopers, drone operators, and K9s, according to the news outlet. According to the TDPS, the task force is meant to assist Border Patrol agents "in detecting, tracking and apprehending illegal immigrants who evade and avoid capture from law enforcement." Additionally, they will help gather intelligence, disrupt human smuggling operations, and identify scouts. 

"This is in part due to the unprecedented number of gotaways," spokesperson Lt. Christopher Olivarez said in a televised interview with FOX News. "We will continue to deploy specialized teams and task forces in strategic areas to address threats against public safety and provide support to our federal partners."

The U.S. has seen a record number of “gotaways,” or undocumented migrants that have successfully evaded authorities and entered the United States.  

In November alone, there were more than 73,000 gotaways that crossed the border, bringing the total of migrants that slipped past border patrol agents so far this fiscal year to 137,000.

The figure indicates that an average of 2,400 undocumented migrants have successfully avoided Border Patrol agents every day.

The fiscal year 2022 saw a record number of gotaways cross the border, with almost 600,000 individuals, a significant increase compared to the 389,155 gotaways that were estimated for the fiscal year 2021. 

The task force is part of Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s Operation Lone Star, which launched in March 2021 to deal with the border crisis.