A large-scale immigration raid took place Monday in Colony Ridge, a massive housing development near Houston, as Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) troopers and special agents assisted federal authorities in targeting criminal activity and illegal migrants, Breitbart reported.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced the operation in a social media post on X, stating that DPS troopers and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents were conducting the raid in the subdivision.
"Colony Ridge is being targeted today. Texas DPS Troopers & Special Agents are assisting Homeland Security Investigations with an operation in Colony Ridge this morning," Abbott wrote. "They are targeting criminals & illegal immigrants. I have worked with Tom Homan on this for months."
Located in Liberty County, about 40 miles north of Houston, Colony Ridge spans more than 30,000 acres and has been the focus of numerous reports linking it to a large population of illegal migrants and questionable land sales practices.
The development has faced scrutiny for its marketing to Hispanic buyers, some allegedly misled by deceptive loan agreements. In December 2023, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the developer, accusing it of operating a predatory land sales scheme.
The area has also drawn attention due to criminal activity linked to illegal migrants.
In February, Texas law enforcement arrested three previously deported migrants in a traffic stop that led to the seizure of nearly 350 pounds of methamphetamine. Information gathered from the suspects led authorities to additional narcotics in a trailer located within Colony Ridge.
Concerns over crime in the area prompted Texas lawmakers to allocate $40 million in 2023 for increased security patrols by DPS troopers. Monday's raid is the latest in a series of efforts by state and federal officials to address what they describe as an illegal migration hub.
As of press time, details on the number of arrests or other operation results had not been disclosed.