City of Eagle Pass Receives $268,925 Grant from Operation Lone Star for Border Security
By: Ricardo E. Calderon, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2025
Eagle Pass City Manager Homero Balderas announced on December 26, 2024 the City of Eagle Pass Police Department had received a grant for the sum of $268,925.41 from Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s Lone Star Operation Program for border security operations within the community.
Balderas stated the Operation Lone Star Program grant will support the City of Eagle Pass Police and Fire Departments border security operations such as equipment, vehicles, procurement, vehicle maintenance costs, and overtime pay expenses incurred by the City while assisting the State’s Operation Lone Star Program.
Balderas added “the City of Eagle Pass remains committed to leveraging resources that enhance public safety and strengthening border security operations for the benefit of city residents and surrounding areas.”
Operation Lone Star Program was launched by Texas Governor Greg Abbott in March 2021 to combat increased undocumented immigration, drug trafficking, arms trafficking, and other criminal offenses affecting the citizens of Texas. The Texas Legislature has approved $12.5 billion of state taxpayer funds for Governor Abbott’s controversial Operation Lone Star Program.
In addition to the Operation Lone Star Program, Balderas announced that “the City of Eagle Pass has successfully submitted its 2024 Operation Stone Garden Program grant application to the federal government for the sum of $318,680 to support the City’s border security operations.” “If awarded, the Operation Stone Garden grant funding will support border operations through overtime pay expenses of City employees such as Police and Fire Department, purchasing of equipment, vehicles, and the costs of maintenance of the equipment,” said Balderas.
Balderas highlighted the City of Eagle Pass administration and City Council are “committed to leveraging resources that enhance public safety and border security through strategic grant applications with both the State and federal governments, as well as funding of these grants.”
