DOJ SURGE IN TEXAS: 294 IMMIGRATION CASES FILED IN 7 DAYS UNDER 'TAKE BACK AMERICA'; CHILD-SMUGGLING SCHEME ALLEGED

Federal prosecutors in the Western District of Texas filed 294 immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from Aug. 29 to Sep. 4 under DOJ’s “Operation Take Back America,” signaling a coordinated enforcement push across the district. The filings include charges in an alleged El Paso child‑smuggling scheme that used THC‑laced gummies to sedate unaccompanied minors, alongside multiple illegal re‑entry and smuggling arrests across West and Central Texas. USAO WDTX cites multi‑agency support from federal, state and local partners. Cases are active; defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.