For 9 months, @ProPublica @TexasTribune @MarshallProject have been trying to figure out what has been accomplished under Gov. @GregAbbott_TX newest multi-billion dollar border op.
Instead, we found limited data that makes it *very* difficult to measure results. For example:
Instead, we found limited data that makes it *very* difficult to measure results. For example:
Abbott and other officials frequently brag about the results of #OperationLoneStar, like:
-arrests
-pounds of drugs seized
-undocumented immigrants the state referred to the feds
-arrests
-pounds of drugs seized
-undocumented immigrants the state referred to the feds
But when we asked for the data behind the arrests, this is what we got: documentcloud.org/documents/2145… 
About 8 months into the operation, @TxDPS officials told us the data we had received up to that point was unusable.
Why? They said it was coming from a different source than what Abbott and top DPS officials were citing.Thus, they said, what we had was incomplete.
Why? They said it was coming from a different source than what Abbott and top DPS officials were citing.Thus, they said, what we had was incomplete.
A month later, unprompted, DPS sent us another email.
The agency reviewed the data “to better reflect the mission” of the op. +2,000 charges were removed.
This included offenses like cockfighting, sexual assault & all FBI violent crimes.
They made no public announcement.
The agency reviewed the data “to better reflect the mission” of the op. +2,000 charges were removed.
This included offenses like cockfighting, sexual assault & all FBI violent crimes.
They made no public announcement.
At least 3 former fed/state law enforcement officers told us the way @TxDPS tallies results for #OperationLoneStar doesn’t allow the state to gauge what it is accomplishing. This is because they included 63 counties and work done with resources that were already in these places
DPS officials told us that starting in July they were directed to report everything that happens in an area almost the size of Oregon vs. the narrower area where they conduct targeted operations/used resources as part of OLS. When we asked who ordered that, they didn’t respond.
Those same experts told us that this matters because it doesn’t allow DPS to assess what the operation is accomplishing vs. what ***would have been done anyway without spending billions more.***
Even the full cost of the operation has been hard to gauge.
We’ve filed multiple records requests to get a cost breakdown.
Some of those have come back like this:
We’ve filed multiple records requests to get a cost breakdown.
Some of those have come back like this:
When we asked DPS and Abbott’s office for a cost estimate and breakdown, DPS told us it was $2.5 million a week. It’s a figure they’ve cited since the summer, when the National Guard deployment was in the hundreds. It is now at 10,000.
The gov’s office, said this:
The gov’s office, said this:
Why does all this matter?
TX spends more than any other state on border security. As questions about metrics continue to plague leaders for nearly 2 decades, lawmakers allocated a record $3 B for this effort. For 1st time Abbott’s office received nearly 1/2 of that.
TX spends more than any other state on border security. As questions about metrics continue to plague leaders for nearly 2 decades, lawmakers allocated a record $3 B for this effort. For 1st time Abbott’s office received nearly 1/2 of that.
You can read our story, published today here: propublica.org/article/texas-… with @lomikriel @AndrewRCalderon @keribla & @jsmccullou
It’s the fist in a series, so keep an eye out for more coming in the following days.
It’s the fist in a series, so keep an eye out for more coming in the following days.
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