AUSTIN, Texas — Reports from the border indicate that migrant families are being separated by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS).
This comes as Texas battles other allegations of abuse and misconduct at the border as a part of the state's border enforcement efforts.
Issues of separations have happened before, notably in 2018 and 2021.
"Not all of the families have been reunified, yet. A lot of the parents who were separated from their children and deported are still seeking reunification here in the U.S.," said Jacklyn Garcia, an immigration attorney with Lincoln-Goldfinch Law in Austin.
According to a report from the Houston Chronicle, migrant families are now being separated by DPS officials.
Travis Considine, a spokesperson for DPS, told KVUE:
"There have been instances in which DPS has arrested male migrants on state charges who were with their family when the alleged crime occurred. Children and their mothers were never separated, but instead turned over to the U.S. Border Patrol together."
Garcia said this is unacceptable.
"It may be true that only fathers are being separated. But even so, we should not be separating families and distinguishing between male parents, male caregivers, and female parents and female caregivers," Garcia said.
She noted that even though the state has vowed to crack down on trespassing tied to migration, these charges likely won't hold up.
"Even if a person crosses the river or crosses the desert, they can still lawfully seek asylum. Our law allows for that," Garcia said.
Melissa M. Lopez is with Diocesan Migrant and Refugee Services. She said in the past, federal agents were the ones separating families; to hear the State is doing the same to fathers is problematic.
"There's no ability to later then track those individuals and then be able to reunite those families together. And so, in many cases, for migrants, it becomes a permanent separation," Lopez said.
She said all the reports that have come out about Operation Lone Star have been concerning and to hear of new separations is heartbreaking.
"I think it's evil," Lopez said. "I think there are actions being taken by state law enforcement that are tasked with ensuring that we live in safe communities, and they've now taken on the task of causing harm to individuals."