Defending people arrested at the border.
Thousands of people are facing criminal charges due to the increased presence of law enforcement at the border.
Operation Lone Star
In March 2021, Governor Abbott launched Operation Lone Star (OLS), a border security program that deployed military and law enforcement resources to the Texas/Mexico border to assist local and federal authorities in “prevent[ing] criminal activity along the border.”
Since its inception, over 15,000 people have been prosecuted under OLS. Most of them have been charged with misdemeanor criminal trespass. These individuals are held in former state prisons (the Briscoe, Segovia and Lopez Units) that have been converted into OLS pretrial detention facilities.
Indigent Defense Program
The Supreme Court of Texas issued an Emergency Order regarding Indigent Defense and the Border Security State of Disaster that directs the Texas Indigent Defense Commission (TIDC) to create procedures for indigent defense for OLS. TIDC's procedures are available here.
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Lone Star Defenders Office (LSDO) serves as as the Indigent Defense Hub for OLS. LSDO is responsible for overseeing the defense program, assigning counsel to cases, and providing support and resources to defense attorneys.
Currently, LSDO appoints counsel for OLS cases arising out of 10 counties. The appointment list includes two public defender offices - Texas Rio Grande Public Defender & Neighborhood Defenders Service - as well as a panel of 30+ defense attorneys.