Starr County law enforcement received $3 million to continue supporting a border security federal grant program Thursday.
U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, made the announcement at the Starr County Courthouse Annex before multiple law enforcement agencies that stand to benefit from the funds dedicated to Operation Stonegarden.
“This money will be used to increase overtime pay available and pay for operating expenses and new equipment — resources that are necessary for the security of the community,” Cuellar said via a statement shared on social media.
Operation Stonegarden is a grant program that allocates money for law enforcement, primarily those along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Over the last two years, there have been an increase in encounters between people crossing the border illegally and federal law enforcement. The current year is set to break a record again with over 2 million encounters, Cuellar said.
He added that while the number of migrants crossing increased, the number of Border Patrol agents on law enforcement duties decreased.
“The problem is that Border Patrol’s hands are tied in so many ways because about 60% of them are doing migrant processing,” Cuellar said during the news conference. “It’s important work but that’s not their job. About 10% are doing administrative work, and that leaves only 30% of BP doing their Homeland Security work.”
Law enforcement officers will help federal partners by working overtime.
“This money is important, because if you think about it, less Border Patrol agents out there in the field, that means that the money for the sheriff’s or police or constables, that means more of those agents,” Cuellar said Thursday.
The $3 million will be split between the Starr County Sheriff’s Office, Texas Department of Public Service, the police departments of La Grulla, Roma, and Rio Grande City. It also includes funds to support prosecution through the Starr County Attorney and District Attorney’s offices.
“About half of our docket in Starr County, Jim Hogg County and in Duval County are smuggling of persons cases. We’re working very hard to try to resolve those cases, but they keep mounting, they keep mounting,” Starr County District Attorney Gocha Ramirez said during the news conference. “This money will be put to use to stem the tide of those types of cases.”
County officials including the judge and county attorney, as well as Border Patrol’s Stonegarden Director in the Rio Grande Valley sector, a Texas DPS representative and the mayor of Rio Grande City thanked the cooperation between Rep. Cuellar and Sen. John Cornyn, who sent a representative from his office, for the funding.
“We have a very strong law enforcement presence and our communities benefit from them,” Joel Villarreal, the Rio Grande City mayor, said.
