Senate committee hears status report on Operation Lone Star, federal litigation and cartel-linked smuggling

Chairman Birdwell convened the Senate Committee on Border Security and heard status briefings from state law enforcement and military leaders on Operation Lone Star and changes in federal policy.

The meeting focused on current operations, pending federal decisions that affect litigation and enforcement, and specific criminal patterns officials say persist between ports of entry. "We are in a holding pattern until DOJ leadership is in place and can start making decisions based on new policies," Ryan Kirchner, chief of special litigation in the Office of the Attorney General, told the committee.

Why it matters: committee members said they intend to keep the state's current border footprint intact while monitoring federal actions, rather than vacating positions and losing institutional capacity. That posture affects staffing, budgets and how Texas coordinates with federal partners.

Major General Tom Selzer, Adjutant General for the Texas Military Department, said the state currently has "over 5,000 state active duty personnel on Operation Lone Star," and described the force posture and capabilities deployed along the border, including boat teams,…