HARRISBURG – The PA Senate approved Senate Resolution 251, introduced by Sen. Doug Mastriano of Adams & Franklin Counties, calling on Gov. Shapiro to deploy the PA National Guard along Texas’s southern border with Mexico as part of Operation Lone Star. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott initiated Operation Lone Star in March 2021 in response to the unprecedented rise in illegal immigration. Operation Lone Star personnel work to detect and repel illegal crossings, arrest human smugglers and cartel gang members, and stop the flow of deadly drugs like fentanyl. In May 2023, Abbott sent letters to governors requesting support. So far, 14 states have responded and deployed personnel and resources to secure the border. According to a 2023 report, at least 251,000 illegal immigrants reside in PA with an annual burden of more than $1.6 billion on taxpayers.
SEN. DOUG MASTRIANO