EL PASO, Texas – Oklahoma National Guard Soldiers are serving along the Texas and Mexico border to prevent, deter and interdict illegal border crossings and other illegal activity. The Oklahomans are part of a larger coalition of states supporting Operation Lone Star.

Oklahoma is currently serving as part of the Emergency Management Assistance Compact in Texas along the southern international border with Mexico. In the past three months, multiple states have rotated personnel and equipment to Operation Lone Star.

“We patrol and call up anything suspicious or if anyone looks like they are about to cross illegally,” said Spc. Trace Greer, an Oklahoma National Guardsman assigned to Task Force West. “They [Oklahoma National Guard] were asking for volunteers to come to the border and I felt like doing something to help my community out.”

The multi-state support is not new for Operation Lone Star. In October 2021, Arkansas National Guard provided a team of mechanics to support operations in the Rio Grande Valley. The team was responsible for maintenance on tactical vehicles assigned to Operation Lone Star.

In the past three months, multiple states have joined the EMAC response to support Texas in securing the southern border.

“The support we have received in the El Paso area of operations from our partner states is crucial to mission success,” said Maj. Sean Storrud, Operation Lone Star Task Force West Commanding Officer. “The Oklahoma National Guard contingent, as well as our other partner states, have provided the extra manpower we need to continue to prevent and deter illegal border crossings to secure our nation’s backyard.”

Operation Lone Star was launched by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on March4, 2021, in response to the rise in illegal immigration and criminal activity on the southern border. The Guard partnered with local and state law enforcement agencies to answer the call to secure the nation’s international border with Mexico.