Texas Border Crime Arrests Surpass 50,000 in 2023
Web Desk
Recent law enforcement data reveals that nearly 50,000 arrests related to border crimes occurred across Texas in 2023.
The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) reported that 80% of these arrests took place in just 20 counties.
Harris County Leads in Arrests
With 8,621 arrests, Harris County—home to Houston—had the highest number of border crime incidents.
The region remains a significant entry point for illegal migrants and a hub for cartel-related activities.
Following Harris County, other areas with notable arrest numbers included:
Dallas County: 6,247 arrests
El Paso County: 3,245 arrests
Tarrant County: 3,144 arrests
Hidalgo County: 2,611 arrests
Other counties with high arrest rates were Travis (2,300), Bexar (1,717), Collin (1,520), Denton (1,313), and Cameron (1,171).
Interestingly, only five of the top 20 counties were situated along the Texas-Mexico border.
Crime Hotspots Beyond Border Counties
The majority of arrests occurred in Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, and San Antonio—all key locations for human trafficking, drug smuggling, and organized crime.
These cities also provide job opportunities that attract illegal workers in sectors like hospitality, construction, and food service.
Types of Crimes Reported
According to DPS, Texas law enforcement recorded 46,793 border crime offenses in 2023. The most common offenses included:
Traffic violations & DWIs: 12,338 cases
Assault: 8,122 cases
Drug-related offenses: 4,043 cases
Obstruction of police work: 3,365 cases
Larceny & theft: 3,160 cases
Federal offenses: 2,708 cases
Public order violations: 1,617 cases
Human trafficking & smuggling: 1,251 cases
Privacy invasion: 882 cases
Burglary: 753 cases
Weapons-related crimes: 740 cases
Border Crime’s Impact on Texas
The Texas Department of Public Safety emphasized that border crime affects the entire state, not just the border regions.
The report highlighted that many serious offenses are linked to illegal foreign nationals, posing security challenges for Texas communities.
The data, collected under Texas’ Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) program, was submitted by 1,401 local law enforcement agencies.
These reports help the state track crime trends and develop policies to improve public safety.
What Defines a Border Crime?
Under Texas law, border crimes include:
Any transnational criminal activity that threatens public security.
Crimes committed by individuals who are unlawfully present in the U.S.
Illegal activities linked to Mexican criminal organizations.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) determines the immigration status of those arrested.
However, not all arrests of foreign nationals are included in the report, as some individuals may not be in the DHS database at the time of arrest.
Annual Crime Reports for Lawmakers
State law mandates DPS to submit an annual border crime report to the Texas Legislature.
The latest data covers January 1 to December 31, 2023, with updates as of March 30, 2024.
DPS acknowledged the critical role of local law enforcement agencies in gathering crime data, stating that without their contributions, crime reports would lack accuracy and depth.
