Operation Lone Star in Eagle Pass Faces Uncertain Future After Gina Hinojosa’s Election as Texas Governor

By Jose G. Landa, Copyright 2026 Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc.

The future of Operation Lone Star could bring changes to Eagle Pass and Maverick County, where large numbers of illegal border crossings prompted a major concentration of Texas National Guard soldiers, state troopers and border barriers.

Governor-elect Gina Hinojosa has called for reviewing the operation’s effectiveness and spending, but has not announced plans to completely dismantle it. Her election leaves questions about how much of the state’s border mission will continue under the incoming administration.

For Eagle Pass, those questions include the future of Camp Eagle, troop deployments and the extensive security infrastructure installed along the Rio Grande.

Governor Greg Abbott launched the controversial $11 Billion taxpayer-funded Operation Lone Star in March 2021, deploying Texas Department of Public Safety personnel and National Guard members to address illegal crossings, human smuggling and drug trafficking. The operation expanded into a multibillion-dollar undertaking involving barriers, arrests and additional enforcement resources.

Eagle Pass became one of its principal locations as migrants crossed the Rio Grande into Maverick County in large groups. The Texas Military Department’s strategic plan identified the area as a historical concentration point for illegal crossings and described the local military base as a central location for responding along the border.

The impact extended beyond immigration enforcement. In December 2023, U.S. Customs and Border Protection temporarily suspended international railroad operations in Eagle Pass to redirect personnel to migrant processing. International Bridge I was also closed to vehicular processing at that time, illustrating how the surge affected the community’s transportation and international connections.

Shelby Park became another focal point. Soldiers installed shipping containers, concertina wire and other barriers along the riverfront. The City of Eagle Pass public park was closed for several months to the public as well as to U. S. Border Patrol officers by Operation Lonestar. The City of Eagle Pass was awarded $1 Million by the Texas Legislature for use of Shelby Park by Operation Lonestar Star.

The state further established its presence through Forward Operating Base Eagle, commonly known as Camp Eagle.

Announced in February 2024, the approximately 80-acre installation was designed to accommodate 1,800 soldiers, with additional capacity for 500 more. Plans included individual rooms, a dining facility, medical services, laundry facilities and recreation space. Those figures represented planned capacity rather than a verified current troop count.

The first 300 soldiers moved into the base on May 31, 2024. State officials said the facility would consolidate personnel who had been staying in hotels and other accommodations throughout the region, sometimes traveling long distances to their assignments.

Now, that investment forms part of the debate over what comes next.

News Outlets have reported November 8, 2026 that Hinojosa had not outlined her post-election intentions for Operation Lone Star.

Former Texas National Guard leaders interviewed by numerous organizations anticipated possible reductions, but those assessments were predictions rather than announced policy. Hinojosa is scheduled to take office January 19, 2027.

Funding will also shape the operation’s future. Texas has spent approximately $11 billion on Operation Lone Star. Continuing border security spending into the next two-year state budget will require decisions by lawmakers during the legislative session beginning in January.

For Maverick County residents, the immediate uncertainty concerns how the incoming administration will use the personnel, facilities and barriers already established here.

The available reporting does not establish a closure date for Camp Eagle or a timetable for withdrawing troops.

Eagle Pass became a central location in Texas’ border enforcement strategy. Decisions made in Austin in the coming months will help determine how large that state presence remains and what responsibilities it carries.