JIM HOGG COUNTY, Texas — The brand new migrant processing center that the Department of Public Safety has built in Jim Hogg County is operational.
It's part of Operation Lone Star and sits right next to the Jim Hogg County Sheriff's Department.
Officials say state troopers are going to be brought into the County and will be looking for migrants who are trespassing on area ranches. They will then arrest them and charge them with criminal trespassing. From there they will go to the processing center to be booked before being sent to a jail facility.
Jim Hogg County Judge Juan Carlos Guerra said he had asked the State for help because his county was being overrun by human smugglers, so he is all in favor of this processing center and those state troopers who will soon be out making arrests.
"It was out of control and our limited law enforcement, while we reached out to Border Patrol PIO, they were short staffed many other times," Guerra said. "So we needed to get the help out here and I'm glad that the processing facility at this location was considered and that it was built here."
DPS officials apparently turned their attention to putting a processing center in Jim Hogg County after a deal fell through to place one in Brooks County. Those talks are supposedly back on, but Judge Guerra said that he is glad that he didn't turn down the DPS offer.
"We have seen tremendous positive impact to local businesses," Guerra said. "All restaurants are full. All the motels are booked."
Officials said the main concern was public safety after a number of high profile smuggling pursuits took place over the summer. Also, area ranchers complained about migrants who were trespassing across their land. They supposedly damaged fences, gates and other property.
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