Texas Gov. Abbott wages immigration operation in community targeted by conservatives
Texas state police and local law enforcement converged on a predominantly Latino community near Houston on Monday for what Gov. Gregg Abbott said was an immigration enforcement operation.
The operation was focused on Colony Ridge, a group of unincorporated subdivisions northeast of Houston that has been targeted by GOP media and right-wing activists who have pushed unsubstantiated claims that the overwhelmingly Republican area has become a magnet for immigrants and that it is under the control of cartels.
'Colony Ridge is being targeted today,' Abbott said in a post on X. He said Texas' Department of Public Safety and special agents assisted Homeland Security Investigations in the housing development.
'They are targeting criminals & illegal immigrants. I have worked with Tom Homan on this for months,' Abbott said in his post, referring to President Donald Trump's border czar.
NBC News' request to Texas DPS for information on how many people were detained or arrested and whether the apprehensions were immigration related was referred to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. ICE did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Members of FIEL Houston, an immigrant-led civil rights group, posted live video on Facebook of members driving around the streets of Colony Ridge and warning people not to open their doors and to stay silent if detained.
Along with Texas DPS and unmarked vehicles, the FIEL members said Liberty County sheriff's cars were also in the area.
'¡No firme nada! Don't sign anything! No hables! (Don't talk!),' one of the FIEL members yelled out the window in English and Spanish while passing a Liberty County constable car, a DPS SUV, three law enforcement personnel, a pickup truck and a man who was standing next to a white van with ladders attached to its roof, all pulled over on a roadway.
Alain Cisneros, a spokesman for FIEL Houston, told NBC News that streets had been blocked in the morning and that there were many DPS vehicles and personnel in the city, pulling people over.
'They are pulling over people left and right,' one of the FIEL Houston members said during the live Facebook broadcast. 'If you don't have a license, we don't recommend you driving right now.'
Cisneros said the officers had pulled over some trucks with workers heading to their jobs, many in construction.
He said FIEL members in Cleveland, Texas, had not seen any children picked up but that the local school had been blocked off.
At one point, as the FIEL Houston members were driving, one advised the other to remain calm if they were stopped.
In 2023, right-wing media and conservatives tagged Colony Ridge as a "no-go" zone for law enforcement, a haven for people illegally in the U.S. and a hub for cartel activity.
Law enforcement agencies disagreed with the narrative pushed by conservative media. Little legislative action resulted after Abbott made the claims part of the brief agenda of a special legislative session.
Abbott has been waging his own multibillion immigration enforcement operation, Operation Lone Star, for years and using Texas DPS troopers to enforce state laws against trespassing and illegal entry. He has been seeking reimbursement from the federal government for $11 billion that the state has spent on the operation.
The Justice Department and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau under then-President Joe Biden filed a lawsuit against the subdivision's developer alleging that he had targeted Hispanics with predatory loans, false advertising and subpar housing as part of an illegal land scheme.
The developer denied the allegations and said it had made loans to people who could not get loans elsewhere.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
21 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz: State lawmaker, husband killed in politically targeted shooting
BLAINE, Minn. (AP) — A Minnesota lawmaker and her husband were shot and killed in their home early Saturday by someone posing as a police officer and a second lawmaker and his wife were wounded in what Gov. Tim Walz described as 'targeted political violence.' Former House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her spouse were killed in their Brooklyn Park home. The other lawmaker and his wife were shot multiple times in Champlin, authorities said at a news conference. Authorities were actively searching for a suspect in the hours following the shootings. 'We must all, in Minnesota and across the country, stand against all forms of political violence," Walz said at a press conference Saturday. 'Those responsible for this will be held accountable.' The wounded lawmaker was identified as state Sen. John Hoffman, a Democrat, was first elected in 2012. He previously served as vice chair of the Anoka Hennepin School Board, which manages the largest school district in Minnesota. Hoffman is married and has one daughter and represents a district north of Minneapolis. Hortman was the top House Democratic leader in the state Legislature and a former House speaker. She was first elected in 2004. She and her husband had two children. Drew Evans, superintendent of the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, said that authorities were actively searching for a suspect. Autopsies will be done to determine extent of injuries, but Hortman and her spouse died from gunshot wounds, Evans said. A 'shelter in place' order was in effect early Saturday. Public Safety Commissioner Bob Jacobson said the suspect was posing as a law enforcement officer. 'Suspect exploited the trust of our uniforms, what our uniforms are meant to represent. That betrayal is deeply disturbing to those of us who wear the badge with honor and responsibility,' he said. Police Chief Mark Bruley said the suspect fled out of the back of Hortman's house after an exchange of gunfire with police. The suspect was dressed like a uniformed officer and operating a vehicle that 'looked exactly like an SUV squad car. It was equipped with lights, emergency lights and looked exactly like a police vehicle,' Bruley said. President Donald Trump said in a White House statement that the FBI would join in the investigation. 'Our Attorney General, Pam Bondi, and the FBI, are investigating the situation, and they will be prosecuting anyone involved to the fullest extent of the law. Such horrific violence will not be tolerated in the United States of America. God Bless the great people of Minnesota, a truly great place!' Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth, a Republican from Cold Spring, called the attack 'evil' and said she was 'heartbroken beyond words' by the killings of Hortman and her husband, Mark. "With the law enforcement response ongoing and details still emerging, I will simply ask all Minnesotans to please lift up in prayer the victims of this horrific attack, as well as the law enforcement personnel still working to apprehend the perpetrator,' Demuth said in a statement. The shootings happened at a time when political leaders nationwide have been attacked, harassed and intimidated during a time of deep political divisions. GIFFORDS, the national gun violence prevention organization led by former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, released the following statement. 'My family and I know the horror of a targeted shooting all too well," Giffords said. "An attack against lawmakers is an attack on American democracy itself. Leaders must speak out and condemn the fomenting violent extremism that threatens everything this country stands for.' Giffords was shot in the head in 2011 by a gunman who killed six people and injured 12 others. She stepped down from Congress in January 2012 to focus on her recovery.
Hamilton Spectator
24 minutes ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz: former state House speaker. husband killed in politically targeted shooting
BLAINE, Minn. (AP) — Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz says former state House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband were shot and killed in a politically motivated assassination, and a second lawmaker and his wife were shot and wounded. Authorities were actively searching for a suspect hours after the targeted killings. 'We must all, in Minnesota and across the country, stand against all forms of political violence,' Walz said at a press conference Saturday. 'Those responsible for this will be held accountable.' The wounded lawmaker was identified as state Sen. John Hoffman, a Democrat, was first elected in 2012. He previously served as vice chair of the Anoka Hennepin School Board, which manages the largest school district in Minnesota. Hoffman is married and has one daughter and represents a district north of Minneapolis. Hortman was the top House Democratic leader in the state Legislature and a former House speaker. She was first elected in 2004. She and her husband had two children. Drew Evans, superintendent of the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, said that authorities were actively searching for a suspect. Autopsies will be done to determine extent of injuries, but Hortman and her spouse died from gunshot wounds, Evans said. A 'shelter in place' order was in effect early Saturday. Public Safety Commissioner Bob Jacobson said the suspect was posing as a law enforcement officer. 'Suspect exploited the trust of our uniforms, what our uniforms are meant to represent. That betrayal is deeply disturbing to those of us who wear the badge with honor and responsibility,' he said. Police Chief Mark Bruley said the suspect fled out of the back of Hortman's house after an exchange of gunfire with police. The suspect was dressed like a uniformed officer and operating a vehicle that 'looked exactly like an SUV squad car. It was equipped with lights, emergency lights and looked exactly like a police vehicle,' Bruley said. President Donald Trump said in a White House statement that the FBI would join in the investigation. 'Our Attorney General, Pam Bondi, and the FBI, are investigating the situation, and they will be prosecuting anyone involved to the fullest extent of the law. Such horrific violence will not be tolerated in the United States of America. God Bless the great people of Minnesota, a truly great place!' Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth, a Republican from Cold Spring, called the attack 'evil' and said she was 'heartbroken beyond words' by the killings of Hortman and her husband, Mark. 'With the law enforcement response ongoing and details still emerging, I will simply ask all Minnesotans to please lift up in prayer the victims of this horrific attack, as well as the law enforcement personnel still working to apprehend the perpetrator,' Demuth said in a statement. The shootings happened at a time when political leaders nationwide have been attacked, harassed and intimidated during a time of deep political divisions. GIFFORDS, the national gun violence prevention organization led by former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, released the following statement. 'My family and I know the horror of a targeted shooting all too well,' Giffords said. 'An attack against lawmakers is an attack on American democracy itself. Leaders must speak out and condemn the fomenting violent extremism that threatens everything this country stands for.' Giffords was shot in the head in 2011 by a gunman who killed six people and injured 12 others. She stepped down from Congress in January 2012 to focus on her recovery. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Yahoo
26 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Man accused of biting, kicking ICE, DEA officers during arrest in Marlborough
A man arrested in Marlborough is accused of biting, kicking and hitting federal law enforcement officers when he was taken into custody, United States Attorney Leah B. Foley said in a Thursday statement. Guido Andres Cuellar Batres, 24, a Guatemalan national, overstayed his non-immigrant visa by more than four years, leading to an outstanding immigration warrant for his arrest, the statement said. On May 4, three Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers and a Drug Enforcement Administration agent conducting surveillance in a Marlborough parking lot spotted Cuellar in the front passenger seat of a car. The officers, wearing law enforcement garments, approached the car and ordered Cuellar to get out of the vehicle, in Spanish and English, according to Foley's statement. He refused and, despite instructions to keep his hands visible, he reached down in the front passenger seat, which led officers to break the rear passenger side window and unlock the front passenger door, according to the statement. The officers removed Cuellar from the vehicle, but he did not cooperate when they tried to handcuff him. According to Foley's statement, Cuellar bit one officer in the hand and another in the leg, hit an officer in the head multiple times, and spat in an officer's face, Foley's statement read. Once he was handcuffed and placed in leg restraints, Cuellar continued to kick at officers, the statement reads. Cuellar is charged with one count of forcibly assaulting, resisting, opposing, impeding, intimidating or interfering with federal officers engaged in the performance of official duties. He is being held in ICE custody and will appear in federal court in Boston at a date to be determined. 'The charge of forcibly assaulting, resisting, opposing, impeding, intimidating, or interfering with federal officers engaged in the performance of official duties provides for a sentence of up to eight years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000,' the statement reads. Man died in Webster house fire, reports say Man killed in fire at multi-family home in Revere, fire officials say Fatal Cape Cod house fire caused by smoldering cigarettes, fire officials say Read the original article on MassLive.
