An elite task force has been launched in Texas to track down and apprehend ‘gotaways’, illegal migrants who are trying to avoid Border Patrol agents. The specialized strike force is part of Operation Lone Star.

The task force goes into the brush and apprehends group after group of single adult men running from Border Patrol. The unit includes K9s and drones. Texas troopers, drone operators, and tracking K9s work together to augment resources for Border Patrol. They help “”in detecting, tracking and apprehending illegal immigrants who evade and avoid capture from law enforcement.” They also gather intelligence and disrupt human trafficking. They track and identify cartel scouts.

“This is in part due to the unprecedented number of gotaways,” spokesperson Lt. Christopher Olivarez told Fox. “We will continue to deploy specialized teams and task forces in strategic areas to address threats against public safety and provide support to our federal partners.”

The number of illegal migrants apprehended at the border is at unprecedented numbers, and that goes for gotaways, too. In November, for example, there were more than 73,000 gotaways. There were already 137,000 for the fiscal year. In FY 2022, there were almost 600,000 gotaways. For comparison, there were 389,155 gotaways in FY 2021. As you see, the number continues to escalate. At this rate, it means that there is an average of at least 2,400 gotaways every day.

The number of gotaways is up, as is the number of border encounters. All numbers are up in Biden’s border crisis. There were at least 207,000 encounters by Border Patrol in November, which was an escalation from that time last year and then that time the year before. The number was 174,000 in November 2021, and 72,113 in November 2020.

In one single morning Fox News saw the new unit make 50 apprehensions — all single adults attempting to run past agents. They were from Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador. Among there was a scout armed with an AK-47.

Fox also caught on video cartel scouts across the river from Mexico. Scouts used radios and even drones as they looked to track and monitor law enforcement to work out when and where they can push illegal immigrants across into the areas of La Joya and Mission.

The situation at the southern border is so bad that Governor Abbott recently declared an invasion at the border. He deployed tactical vehicles to protect troops from cartel activity. Unprecedented times call for unprecedented measures. All of this is before Title 42 ends on December 21. The surge of migrants is expected to explode at that time. Title 42, put into effect by the previous administration at the recommendation of the CDC to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, allows immediate expulsion at the border and that option will end.

DHS says it has a plan to deal with whatever happens with the termination of Title 42. Allegedly they plan to crack down on human smuggling, surge resources to the border, and increase the use of alternative removal authorities. Mayorkas said DHS has it under control. He said DHS requested and was granted an “orderly wind-down” period for Title 42. The plan is the same one that was announced in April when the administration began seeking an end to Title 42.

“What we are doing is precisely what we announced we would do in April of this year, and we have indeed been executing on the plan,” he said.

“We are enhancing the consequences for unlawful entry, especially with respect to individuals who seek to evade law enforcement, including removal, detention and criminal prosecution when warranted,” he said.

Given the failure to secure the border up until now, color me skeptical that some new grand plan will be able to get the job done now by this administration. The Biden border crisis is intentional. There is no other conclusion to draw. Why should we believe that now the administration will change course and do its job to protect the country?

On Thursday, 700 migrants were apprehended on the Texas border.