DPS director reports lower border apprehensions, active protest response and pending Homeland Security division

Colonel Martin delivered the director’s report at the June Public Safety Commission meeting, outlining recent operational metrics at the border, the Department’s posture for planned protests and a pending Homeland Security division created by the 80th Legislature.

Colonel Martin said DPS troopers made 438 criminal arrests in roughly the last five weeks, turned over 392 migrant apprehensions to U.S. Border Patrol, conducted 41 vehicle pursuits and 22 bailouts, and seized about 396 pounds of illicit drugs, $127,000 in cash and 36 firearms. He described those levels as “at an all time low” compared with earlier years and said average daily apprehensions across nine Border Patrol sectors are about 230 per day; when California, Arizona and New Mexico were separated from the Texas sectors he said the Texas sectors average under 100 apprehensions per day. “So it’s getting better instead of worse as time goes on,” Colonel Martin said.

The director said DPS continues to work with federal partners (FBI, HSI, ICE) and local task forces on national‑security priorities including anti‑gang and drug investigations and that several border‑related activities are being resourced across the agency.

Colonel Martin also briefed commissioners on civil unrest tied to anti‑immigration and anti‑ICE protests nationwide. He said the department has daily coordination calls with local police chiefs and federal partners and that recent legislative funding increased DPS capacity for responses. The governor’s office announced deployment numbers during the event period that Colonel Martin cited: more than 2,000 troopers and approximately 5,000 National Guard personnel available as force multipliers. He said the department tracked more than 50 planned protests in the weekend period the presentation covered and that DPS and city police made arrests and identified bad actors for later prosecution; he noted five arrests in Austin by DPS and nine by Austin Police Department, along with three officers injured during one demonstration.

On the Homeland Security program, Colonel Martin summarized Senate Bill 36 as establishing a Homeland Security Division within DPS (the department already maintains a smaller Homeland Security office). He said the statutory change adds personnel and capacity — a 19‑FTE increase and funding to coordinate planning for border security and other statewide infrastructure and preparedness tasks — and noted that the bill had not been signed by the governor at the time of the meeting; the commission was told a fuller briefing would be provided at the next meeting.

Commissioners asked operational questions about uniformed presence at the Capitol and about use of DPS facilities for future events; Colonel Martin and other staff said intelligence and planning were “spot on” for the session, commended coordination with Austin police, and confirmed follow‑up scheduling to balance use of training calendars with other field obligations.

The director’s update closed with Colonel Martin thanking commission members and staff for support and noting ongoing multiagency coordination on protests and border operations.