Terrell County was awarded $1.29 million by the State of Texas through #OperationLoneStar. We are grateful, and we can promise the residents of Terrell County that these funds will be used responsibly and will have a real impact. Operation Lone Star Star helps cover significant border security expenses, including equipment, employee overtime, and the funding of three full-time and two part-time positions. These positions provide additional manpower to meet the unique public safety and border security demands of our vast and remote county. By covering these costs, Operation Lone Star allows Terrell County to direct our limited local tax dollars to other priorities that directly serve our residents. We are also proud to work alongside the men and women of the U.S. Border Patrol in Sanderson. They are our neighbors and partners, and the cooperation between local, state, and federal law enforcement makes all of us more effective in protecting this vast and remote area of Texas. I am proud of the men and women who serve Terrell County and am grateful to Governor Greg Abbott and the State of Texas for continuing to stand with our border communities. We will continue working, improving, and moving forward for Terrell County and for Texas.

Sheriff Thaddeus Cleveland, a Republican who previously served as a Border Patrol agent in charge in the Big Bend area, told Newsweek he believed the original DHS proposal could be improved. "The Big Bend is unique, and border security here should be driven by the terrain, the threat and the operational needs of the agents on the ground," Cleveland said. "During my years there, our plans for strengthening border security focused on road improvements, technology and additional manpower." newsweek.com/big-bend-border…

Terrell County Sheriff’s Office Deputies working #OperationLoneStar assisted U.S. Border Patrol Agents from the Sanderson Station with the apprehension of three illegal aliens from the State of Chiapas, Mexico. The three individuals were traveling through Terrell County as severe storms moved across the area. Seeking shelter from the dangerous weather, the group approached a local landowner’s residence. The landowner immediately contacted the Terrell County Sheriff’s Office to report the encounter. Prior to the call, the group had been detected by an Autonomous Surveillance Tower (AST), and Sanderson Border Patrol Agents and Terrell County Sheriff’s Office Deputies were already operating in the area. Through coordinated communication and a rapid response, Border Patrol Agents and Sheriff’s Office Deputies located and apprehended all three individuals. This incident is another example of the strong interagency cooperation between the Terrell County Sheriff’s Office and U.S. Border Patrol. By sharing information, resources, and personnel, our agencies continue working together to respond quickly to activity in our remote areas and help protect the residents and landowners of Terrell County. The Terrell County Sheriff’s Office appreciates the continued partnership and professionalism of the Sanderson Border Patrol Station and its Agents, as well as the vigilance of our local landowners.

Last night, the Terrell County Sheriff’s Office received its eighth 911 call from migrants who had been abandoned after crossing the border. Like the previous rescues, this incident took place in Brewster County. A Terrell County deputy working #OperationLoneStar, along with Sanderson Border Patrol agents, responded to a 911 call from two migrants, one a 19-year-old from Querétaro and the other a 28-year-old from Michoacán. Terrell County responded because this portion of Brewster County is closer for Terrell County personnel, and the emergency calls were received through Terrell County’s 911 towers. According to the individuals, they had been left behind by their smuggler because they could not keep up with the group. Both were located in good health and taken into custody. This is another example of interagency coordination along the Texas-Mexico border.

The Terrell County Sheriff’s Office received four separate 911 calls yesterday, three of which occurred last night. Of the three calls received last night, Dispatchers were able to triangulate the locations of two. U.S. Border Patrol agents responded to the first location and apprehended two illegal aliens south of Sanderson in Brewster County. The individuals identified themselves as being from the Mexican states of Durango and Querétaro. U.S. Border Patrol agents also responded to and searched the coordinates associated with the second call; however, no one was found. The third call received last night provided coordinates for an individual who had reportedly been left behind and is believed to be deceased. Brewster County, with assistance from the Texas Department of Public Safety, will conduct an aerial search in an effort to locate the individual. The Terrell County Sheriff’s Office appreciates the continued cooperation and strong partnership with U.S. Border Patrol and our neighboring law enforcement agencies as we work together to respond to incidents throughout our remote border region.

Today, we received our seventh 911 call into the Terrell County Sheriff’s Office. Thanks to the coordinated efforts of the Brewster County Sheriff’s Office, Texas Department of Public Safety Alpine Air Branch, Sanderson Border Patrol Station, and Terrell County Sheriff’s Office, two individuals were successfully rescued. Great interagency coordination helped ensure lives were not lost. We are grateful to everyone involved for their quick response, teamwork, and commitment to protecting human life.

Terrell County, Texas, Sheriff Thaddeus Cleveland, a Republican, told Newsweek: "As a sheriff and retired Border Patrol agent, I strongly support border security, but supporting border security does not mean giving the federal government a blank check. "My county depends heavily on border security grants, and we account for every penny. Taxpayers should expect the same accountability from Washington. Every dollar wasted through poor planning is a dollar that could have gone toward agents, equipment, technology, or local communities working every day to secure the border." newsweek.com/ice-admits-mist…

🚨 911 CALL — COORDINATED BORDER RESPONSE 🚨 The Terrell County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch received a 911 call from an illegal alien requesting assistance in a remote area of Brewster County. Our dispatcher was able to triangulate the caller’s location and immediately notified the Sanderson Border Patrol Station. Sanderson Border Patrol Agents responded to the area with assistance from the Texas Department of Public Safety and Terrell County Sheriff’s Office personnel working #OperationLoneStar. Through the coordinated response, Sanderson Border Patrol Agents located and encountered the individual, who was identified as being from Puebla, Mexico. Crossing through the remote West Texas desert is extremely dangerous. The rugged terrain, long distances, extreme temperatures, and lack of readily available water can quickly turn an illegal border crossing into a life-threatening emergency. Calls like this are an important reminder of the dangers individuals face when attempting to travel through these isolated areas. This incident also demonstrates the importance of communication and cooperation along the border. Federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies routinely work together, sharing information, personnel, and resources to respond to emergencies and protect lives in some of the most remote areas of Texas. From the dispatcher who answered the 911 call and helped determine the individual’s location to the law enforcement personnel who responded in the field, teamwork made the difference. Federal. State. Local. Working together along the Texas border.

This morning, the Terrell County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch received multiple 911 calls from a group of six illegal aliens from Mexico. The callers advised that they were part of a larger group totaling approximately 15 people. They told the dispatcher they had been without water for two days and requested assistance. After determining the group’s location, Terrell County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to the area and located the six individuals. They were transported to the Sanderson Border Patrol Station and turned over to U.S. Border Patrol. The group included individuals from the Mexican states of Baja California, Durango, Guanajuato, Veracruz, and Hidalgo.

Strong interagency cooperation between the Terrell County Sheriff’s Office and U.S. Border Patrol continues to strengthen border security and public safety. Last night, a Terrell County Sheriff’s Office Deputy working #OperationLoneStar assisted Sanderson Border Patrol Agents with the apprehension of three illegal aliens from Mexico. Two were from Hidalgo and one was from Guanajuato. The Sanderson Border Patrol Station took custody of all three individuals, who will face removal proceedings.

I recently had the opportunity to do a ride-along with ABC News and see this stretch of the border firsthand. I’m all for border barriers where they’re needed and where they make sense. But when you get out into country like this, you see something different. The mountains, cliffs, canyons, and miles of unforgiving terrain are God-made barriers of their own. In places like this, securing the border isn’t simply about building more wall. It’s about knowing what’s happening across a huge and difficult landscape, and being able to get there when something happens. That means drones, sensors, and surveillance technology to detect crossings, along with improving roads and access so Border Patrol can respond quickly when they’re needed. Different terrain requires different solutions. We should put resources where they’ll do the most good and give the men and women on the ground the tools and access they need to do their jobs.

Yesterday, after responding to a 911 call, a Terrell County Sheriff’s Office Deputy working #OperationLoneStar assisted U.S. Border Patrol agents from the Sanderson Station with two individuals from Mexico who had entered the country illegally. The two were believed to have been part of the group that left the 911 caller behind. Air Interdiction Agents with CBP Alpine Air and Marine also assisted in the response, providing additional support to personnel on the ground. This incident highlights the continued cooperation between the Terrell County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Border Patrol, and CBP Air and Marine Operations. Through coordinated efforts, communication, and shared resources, local and federal law enforcement agencies work together to respond to emergencies and address public-safety and border-security challenges throughout our region.

This morning, the Terrell County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call from an illegal alien in far eastern Terrell County. The Dispatcher/Jailer on duty was able to obtain the caller’s GPS coordinates, and a subsequent report was received from a local landowner. A Terrell County Sheriff’s Deputy responded to the caller’s coordinates and encountered one illegal alien. The illegal alien was transported to the Terrell County Sheriff’s Office, where Terrell County EMS administered an IV for dehydration. The individual was subsequently turned over to the Sanderson Border Patrol.

MS NOW came down to Terrell County to see the border firsthand, hear the facts, and ask the people who actually live here what it takes to secure this area. Border security isn’t a talking point for us. It’s our home, our land, our communities, and our everyday reality. You can debate policy from Washington or New York, but good policy starts by showing up, seeing the terrain, asking hard questions, and listening to the people on the ground. I’ll welcome anyone, from any side, who is willing to come here, look for themselves, and have a serious conversation about securing our border.

A Terrell County Sheriff’s Office Deputy conducted a traffic stop in Sanderson. During a field interview, it was determined that the individual had an expired employment authorization document issued by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Following the immigration-status inquiry, the individual will be held for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) pursuant to an immigration detainer. This case also highlights an important point that is sometimes overlooked in discussions about illegal immigration: not every person who is unlawfully present in the United States entered the country illegally. Many individuals initially enter the United States legally or receive lawful authorization to remain for a specific period, but later fall out of lawful status when a visa or other authorization expires or when they otherwise fail to maintain or adjust their immigration status. In this instance, the individual had previously received federal authorization but was found with expired documentation, resulting in referral to ICE ERO.

FULL INTERVIEW: @SheriffThad discusses the meeting he attended with @CBPCommissioner & other leaders from the Big Bend region about what comes next. CBP Commissioner paused all construction temporarily in Big Bend National Park after uproar. m.youtube.com/watch?v=diltV8… @CBSNewsTexas

Border infrastructure is not a one-size-fits-all proposition. The challenges, terrain, population patterns, and operational needs vary dramatically across the Southwest border. What works in San Diego or the Rio Grande Valley will not necessarily work in a region like the Big Bend of Texas. The Big Bend presents a fundamentally different environment. Its vast distances, rugged mountains, remote desert terrain, limited road networks, and sparse population require an approach tailored to the region. In some locations, traditional physical barriers may be appropriate; in others, technology, improved roads and communications, strategically placed infrastructure, and greater mobility for Border Patrol agents may provide a more effective solution. Effective border security should therefore be driven by conditions on the ground rather than a single design applied across thousands of miles. The goal should be to give Border Patrol the right combination of infrastructure, technology, access, and personnel for each region, recognizing that securing the border in Big Bend requires a different strategy than securing it in San Diego or the Rio Grande Valley.

Sheriff Thaddeus Cleveland interviews with CNN’s Jake Tapper and discusses Texas’ Big Bend.