In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, Trump border czar Tom Homan outlined the progress that has been made at the border, and detailed how the president’s "big beautiful bill" could solidify items that have improved border security. 

"All those accessories on the border, we can lock it in to make it permanent," Homan explained. "So we're going to put more border walls up. We'll put more water buoys in. That's going to save lives, right, because people see the water buoys, you can't get over them, which many people won't attempt to go into that river, which means we save lives."

According to data from the Customs and Border Patrol (CBP), apprehensions at the border are down 93% from April 2024 to April 2025 under the Trump administration. Fulfilling the president’s campaign promise to reign in the heightened flow of illegal immigrants has been one of the administration’s top priorities, and Homan told Fox the "big beautiful bill" will "solidify the success" the numbers are already illustrating.

BORDER CZAR TOM HOMAN SAYS DEMOCRAT LAMONICA MCIVER 'BROKE THE LAW,' SHOULD BE CHARGED FOR ICE CLASH

"[The bill] is going to save lives," Homan said. "It's going to add technology to the existing new border wall that the Biden administration didn't put into the wall. So, it's a smart wall, but Biden stopped the tech equipment from getting embedded in the wall to let us know when someone approaches that wall, climbs the wall, digs under that wall."

Trump’s border czar also pointed out an important element of the legislation, which provides funding for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to purchase beds for illegal migrants who are detained.

"Right now we've got 50,000 people in custody. We're only funded for $34,000. ICE is already in a hole at $500 million. We need 100,000 beds. This bill does that."

INSIDE TRUMP'S URGENT MEETING WITH HOUSE GOP TO PASS THE 'BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL'

The president’s "big beautiful bill" contains many components of Trump’s agenda, including border security, tax policy, debt limit, and defense spending. It has had issues making it through the legislative process as some House Republicans have advocated for provisions such as state and local tax (SALT) deduction caps and spending cuts. 

President Trump spoke out strongly against any cuts to Medicaid or SALT deduction caps during his visit to Capitol Hill to rally support for the bill on Tuesday.

As for the border, GOP members whose districts line the southern border spoke out in support of the legislation. 

"It may be a big and beautiful bill, but it has the muscle and backbone of historic border security and the ability to deport the millions of criminal illegals Joe Biden let walk into our country," Congressman Darrell Issa, R-California, told Fox News Digital. 

ACTING ICE DIRECTOR DEMANDS TIM WALZ APOLOGIZE FOR CALLING AGENTS ‘MODERN-DAY GESTAPO’

Texas Republican Rep. Tony Gonalzes, who represents the largest border district in Congress, also highlighted border elements of the legislation. 

"These are exactly the priorities I have fought tooth and nail for during the last four years, and I’m proud to see we’re finally getting it done," Gonzales told Fox News Digital. "My communities along the border will be much better off, and I’m proud to have played a key part in making that happen."

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Despite some GOP enthusiasm, sources on Capitol Hill say there is still a long way to go before the piece of legislation reaches the president’s desk. 

The Trump administration is temporarily banning imports of cattle, horses and bison through ports along the southern border because of the rapid northern spread of New World Screwworm (NWS) in Mexico.

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins announced the suspension in an X post on Sunday.

"Due to the threat of New World Screwworm I am announcing the suspension of live cattle, horse, & bison imports through U.S. southern border ports of entry effective immediately," she wrote. "The last time this devastating pest invaded America, it took 30 years for our cattle industry to recover. This cannot happen again."

The USDA said in a press release the first case of NWS in Mexico was reported to the U.S. in November 2024.

EXCLUSIVE: CATTLE INDUSTRY CHIEF WARNS FLESH-EATING FLY MENACES US HERS AS MEXICO YIELDS ON PEST FIGHT

The problem is when NWS fly maggots burrow into the flesh of living animals, they can cause serious and often deadly damage to the animal, the USDA said. The types of animals NWS maggots can infest include pets, livestock, wildlife, birds, and in rare cases, humans.

According to the USDA, NWS was recently detected in remote farms with minimal cattle movement as far north as about 700 miles from the U.S. border.

The U.S. and Mexico are working together to eradicate NWS before the deadly parasitic fly works its way to the southern border.

USDA THREATENS TO HALT MEXICAN BEEF IMPORTS OVER FLESH-EATING FLY CRISIS'

Effective immediately, the USDA said, the agency’s Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection are restricting the imports of live animal commodities originating from or transiting through Mexico.

The suspension will continue on a month-to-month basis, until "a significant window of containment is achieved," the USDA said.

Livestock currently being held for entry into the U.S. will be processed normally, the USDA added, and will be inspected by a port veterinary medical officer and treated to ensure they are not carrying NWS.

MAINE'S FEDERAL FUNDING FREEZE FROM TRUMP'S USDA REVERSED

"Secretary Berdegué and I have worked closely on the NWS response; however, it is my duty to take all steps within my control to protect the livestock industry in the United States from this devastating pest," Rollins said of the work she had done with her Mexican counterpart. "The protection of our animals and safety of our nation’s food supply is a national security issue of the utmost importance. Once we see increased surveillance and eradication efforts, and the positive results of those actions, we remain committed to opening the border for livestock trade. This is not about politics or punishment of Mexico, rather it is about food and animal safety."

The U.S. and Mexico are taking a three-pronged approach toward achieving the eradication of NWS, which includes field surveillance with education and outreach that ensures prevention, treatment and early detection. The approach also includes controlling animal movement to limit the spread of NWS and sustained sterile insect dispersal.

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This is not the first time the need to eradicate NWS has occurred. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said NWS was eradicated in the U.S. in the 1960s and in Mexico in the 1970s. 

However, the eradication of the deadly worm cost billions of dollars and took decades.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) recently announced that during President Donald Trump's first 100 days of his second term, the agency arrested more than 66,000 illegal immigrants and removed more than 65,000. 

ICE arrested 66,463 illegal immigrants and removed 65,682, including those accused of threatening public safety and national security, according to a news release from ICE.

Three in four arrests of illegal immigrants involved someone accused of committing a crime, according to the agency.

"The brave men and women of ICE protect our families, friends and neighbors by removing public safety and national security threats from our communities," ICE acting director Todd M. Lyons wrote in a statement. 

NEARLY 800 ILLEGAL ALIENS ARRESTED IN MASSIVE FLORIDA ICE OPERATION: ‘TIDAL WAVE’

The total number of ICE illegal immigrant arrests includes 2,288 gang members from Tren de Aragua, MS-13, 18th Street and other gangs, Lyons said. 

Tren de Aragua and MS-13 are now listed as foreign terrorist organizations.

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS SUE OVER TRUMP ADMIN REVOKING VISAS

Additionally, 1,329 were accused or convicted of sex offenses, and 498 were accused or convicted of murder, according to ICE.

The criminal records of those arrested include convictions or charges for 9,639 assaults, 6,398 DWIs or DUIs and 1,479 weapon offenses, according to the release.

JUDGE ORDERS TRUMP ADMINISTRATION RESTORE OHIO STATE GRAD STUDENT'S VISA

Arrests and removals surged with help from state and local law enforcement agencies through the 287(g) Program, which allows local authorities to enforce federal immigration laws. 

ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations directorate has nearly 600 pending and signed agreements with police departments and sheriff’s offices across the nation, demonstrating the effectiveness of a whole-of-government approach to immigration enforcement, according to the release.

Since Jan. 20, there have been 444 new 287(g) agreements nationwide.

Even still, with about 11 million illegal immigrants in the U.S., the current 65,682 deportations would account for just 0.59%.

ICE SAYS IT DEPORTED 174 CRIMINAL MIGRANTS FROM TEXAS, INCLUDING A MAN WITH 39 ILLEGAL ENTRIES

Officials said ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), which also focuses on transnational crime and threats, has been zeroing in on worksite operations to protect American businesses. 

Since Jan. 20, HSI has arrested more than 1,000 workers who were illegal immigrants, and proposed over $1 million in fines against businesses that hire illegal employees.

"This agency has set the bar on arrests and removals while upholding its national security mission," ICE deputy director Madison D. Sheahan wrote in a statement. "Last week, HSI broke up a human smuggling ring that's allegedly responsible for bringing between 500 and 700 illegal aliens into the U.S. every year — aliens that the U.S. government never vetted. Our communities are becoming safer each day thanks to President Trump and Secretary [Kristi] Noem's leadership."

VENEZUELAN GOVERNMENT USES TREN DE ARAGUA AS PROXIES TO UNDERMINE US PUBLIC SAFETY, FBI ASSESSMENT FINDS

Illegal immigrant encounters are down by 95%, while illegal crossings plunged to levels last seen in the 1960s, according to Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the White House. 

The number of illegal immigrants who "got away" from immigration enforcement officers is down 99%, with a 655% spike in arrests of suspected terrorists, CBP and the White House said.

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There are now an additional 85 miles of new border barriers.

Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum visited New Mexico on Tuesday to announce the U.S. Army will take control of nearly 110,000 acres of federal land along the U.S.-Mexico border, the latest attempt to curb illegal immigration and trafficking.

The 109,651 acres of federal land will be transferred to the Army for three years, subject to valid existing rights, according to a statement from the U.S. Department of the Interior.

The move comes after President Donald Trump last week signed a memorandum, "Military Mission for Sealing the Southern Border of the United States and Repelling Invasions," directing the secretaries of Defense, Interior, Agriculture and Homeland Security to take control of federal lands "reasonably necessary to enable military activities."

The switch in jurisdiction will allow the government to protect sensitive natural and cultural resources in the region, while helping the Army support U.S. Border Patrol operations in securing the border and preventing illegal immigration, according to the Department of the Interior.

NAVY DEPLOYS ANOTHER HOUTHI-FIGHTING WARSHIP TO NEW US SOUTHERN BORDER MISSION 

"Securing our border and protecting our nation’s resources go hand in hand," Burgum said in the statement. "The American people gave President Trump a mandate to make America safe and strong again."

Burgum said the change reflects Interior’s commitment to public safety, national security and responsible stewardship of public lands.

TRUMP ORDERS MILITARY TO TAKE CONTROL OF FEDERAL LAND AT SOUTHERN BORDER

The Army requested the transfer on "an emergency basis," so they could increase regular patrols by federal personnel.

Trump declared a national emergency earlier this year along the southern border.

The Army will also be able to build infrastructure to prevent illegal immigrants, human traffickers and narcotics from crossing the border.

The department noted the crisis along the border is not limited to national security and law enforcement concerns, but also "presents an environmental crisis."

Nearly two dozen federally endangered species live in the region, which was previously managed by the Bureau of Land Management.

The region also contains cultural sites that range from small artifact scatters to large multiroom pueblos, which could be harmed by repeated foot traffic, unregulated vehicle use and the creation of informal trails or camps, according to the statement. 

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High-traffic illegal crossings could lead to soil erosion, damage to fragile desert vegetation and critical wildlife habitat, loss and damage to cultural resources, increased fire risk and pollution from trash and human waste.  

The department acknowledged some of the land transferred to the Army is essential to the livelihoods of local communities and said the Bureau of Land Management will work with the Army to ensure "some" uses will continue to support local grazing and mining.

Trump administration officials tell Fox 85 miles of new border wall is expected to go up this year with plans for hundreds of miles more in 2026 and beyond.

"Our absolute intent is to build as much wall as we need to get the border under control," says Border Patrol Chief Michael Banks. He recently boasted on X "back in business" with photos of one project along the Rio Grande in Texas.  

Over the past week, Fox has spotted work crews plugging gaps in the existing wall line east of Yuma, Ariz., and in a rugged area of San Diego known locally as "Smuggler's Gulch."

CBP RELEASES MARCH BORDER CROSSING NUMBERS, MARKING LOWEST TO DATE EVER RECORDED

"Operational control is what we are trying to achieve,"  Jeffrey Stalnaker, San Diego Border Patrol Sector Chief, said Tuesday. "We’re trying to detect anyone and everything coming across the border illegally. And to have 100 percent situational awareness of what’s going on in our area of responsibility."

Other planned projects for this year include Jacumba, Calif., where, during the Biden administration, thousands of migrants – many from China – were seen crossing over the rugged landscape to then claim asylum.  Most of whom were then released into the country to await further proceedings. That location and many others along the border are now much quieter than in recent years.

In October, the San Diego sector averaged 451 illegal crossings every day.  In March, under President Trump, that average daily number fell to 39.

"If you've got laws that aren't being enforced, or if you have an administration like the Biden administration that refuses to allow the border patrol to actually enforce the law and provide a consequence, then walls by themselves don't work," Banks told Fox.  "We've gotten the border under more control than it's ever been, but the goal is operational control, and we're not going to quit until we get there."

MIGRANT BORDER ENCOUNTERS PLUMMET UNDER TRUMP VS. BIDEN'S RECORD HIGHS

On that front, Banks wants to expand the use of large blocking buoys in the middle of the Rio Grande and backstop them with walls on the shoreline. It’s a multi-layered security zone that exists in other areas of the border.  "What you'll have is a two-tiered system," Banks says.

"So, you'll have the buoy systems in the river in Texas. If you were to make it past those buoys and made it to the shore, then you still would have the actual border wall system."

All told, Border Patrol officials would like to add up to nearly 1,000 miles of additional barriers in the years to come – if Congress provides the funding. Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.) introduced a bill in January that would allocate $25 billion for that purpose.

In the meantime, crews continue to plug gaps like the one in Smuggler's Gulch.

"We’re going to catch everyone that’s crossing and be aware of what’s going on in our area of responsibility," Stalnaker said as a bulldozer behind him cleared the way for the next wall panel to go into the ground.

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem announced the building of seven miles of new border wall in Arizona as part of the administration's efforts to "make America safe again."

Noem's announcement, coming in a short video posted to her X account, marks the beginning of additional border wall construction along the southern border during the second Trump administration. The DHS said in a press release Friday that U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) had awarded the first contract of President Donald Trump's second term to Granite Construction Co. for more than $70 million, which will result in seven miles of new border wall in the Rio Grande Valley Sector, according to Noem's announcement.

"Everybody, I’m here in Arizona, and right at this spot, you can see where the border wall ends," Noem said while standing along the border, donning a CBP hat and jacket. "As of today, we’re starting 7 new miles of construction, we’re going to continue to make America safe again."

VETS GROUP PATCHING BORDER FENCE PLEDGES VIGILANCE AMID TRUMP SUCCESS: ‘THERE ARE STILL GAPS’

The new wall will be paid for via CBP's Fiscal Year 2021 funds, per DHS.

Trump's predecessor, former President Joe Biden, moved on his first day in office to halt all border wall construction along the U.S.-Mexico border. In late 2023, construction on roughly 20 miles of border barriers in South Texas was allowed to commence under Biden, since the money had already been appropriated by Congress during Trump's first administration.

Under Trump's first term, approximately 458 miles of primary and secondary barriers were built, per CBP data. This included parts of the current wall that were dilapidated and needed to be replaced. 

SANCTUARY CITY LAWYERS PLOT TO HELP ILLEGAL MIGRANTS EVADE ICE IN EXPOSED GROUP EMAIL

Vice President JD Vance said earlier this month during a visit to the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas that he was under the belief that Trump was hoping to build a wall across every mile of the southern border by the end of his term in 2029. 

"I think the president’s hope is that by the end of the term we build the entire border wall," the vice president told reporters during a press conference.

"And, of course, that’s the physical structure — the border wall itself — but we even heard today, there are so many good technological tools, so many great artificial intelligence-enabled technologies" that can also be used to secure the border, Vance added.

CALIFORNIA EXPLOITING MEDICAID ‘LOOPHOLE’ TO PAY BILLIONS FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS' HEALTHCARE, STUDY SAYS

The number of illegal migrant "gotaways," or the number of successful illegal crossings, which are recorded using cameras and other surveillance methods, has dropped as much as 90% since Trump took office, according to some estimates based on numbers reported by Fox News' Bill Melugin last week. 

According to the numbers reported by Melugin, border agents have been spotting an average of 77 "gotaways" per day, while during the height of the immigration crisis under Biden, that number reached as much as 1,800 per day, according to reports. 

President Donald Trump took to social media Saturday afternoon to declare "The Invasion of our Country is OVER" after his first full month in office, which saw only 8,326 apprehensions of illegal immigrants by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP), a record-setting low. 

In a post on Truth Social, Trump relayed the apprehensions of illegal immigrants by Border Patrol at the southern border, all of whom were "quickly ejected from our Nation or, when necessary, prosecuted for crimes against the United States of America." 

The Trump administration's apprehension numbers in its first full month represent a 96% drop from Biden administration highs in December 2023, when CBP reported 301,981 encounters at the southern border.

‘HE IS DELIVERING’: TRUMP'S FIRST MONTH FLIPS SCRIPT ON RADICAL BIDEN-HARRIS BORDER POLICIES

"This means that very few people came – The Invasion of our Country is OVER," Trump wrote in the post. "In comparison, under Joe Biden, there were 300,000 Illegals crossing in one month, and virtually ALL of them were released into our Country. Thanks to the Trump Administration Policies, the Border is CLOSED to all Illegal Immigrants."

In fiscal year 2024, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) reported 271,484 removals, and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reported about 700,000 removals and returns, more than any prior fiscal year since 2010.

The Biden administration repeatedly had single days when apprehensions approached 10,000 illegal immigrants, surpassing the new administration's monthly total.

The Trump administration's accomplishments come solely from executive action and tougher messaging after no border bill was signed.

"Anyone who tries to illegally enter the U.S.A. will face significant criminal penalties and immediate deportation," the president wrote.

TRUMP FREEZES APPLICATIONS FOR BIDEN-ERA MIGRANT PROGRAMS AMID FRAUD, NATIONAL SECURITY CONCERNS

After heavily campaigning on border security and cracking down on illegal immigration, Trump signed executive orders that declared a national emergency at the border and deployed the U.S. military to combat the surge.

He also signed orders ending birthright citizenship, suspending refugee admissions, ending the use of an app at the southern border to admit migrants via humanitarian parole and resuming border wall construction.

The Pentagon stepped in, deploying troops to the southern border and opening up Guantánamo Bay to migrants.

ICE restrictions previously put in place by the Biden administration were overturned by the DHS, allowing law enforcement to go into "sensitive" places, conduct expedited removal and review the parole status of migrants brought in under parole.

According to DHS data obtained by Fox News Digital, there were 11,791 interior ICE arrests from Jan. 20 to Feb. 8, compared to 4,969 during the same period in 2024, a 137% increase.

A number of high-profile raids in "sanctuary" cities yielded more than a thousand daily arrests, including those of violent criminals and gang members.

The country has also benefited financially from the new Trump border policies, with tens of millions of dollars taken back from New York City designated for hotels where migrants are being housed.

A recent order directed all federal agencies to identify all federally funded programs providing financial benefits to illegal immigrants and "take corrective action." 

The goal of the order is to make sure federal funds will not be used to support sanctuary policies or assist illegal immigration.

Fox News' Adam Shaw and Bill Melguin contributed to this report.

Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. CQ Brown is visiting the U.S.-Mexico border to assess the military’s progress in fortifying sections of the wall, the Associated Press reported on Friday.

The Defense Department deployed 1,500 active-duty troops to the U.S.-Mexico border just two days after President Donald Trump’s inauguration. More servicemembers were sent to the border earlier this month.

There are approximately 9,200 U.S. troops on the border, 4,200 of whom were deployed under federal orders, according to the Associated Press. The other 5,000 are National Guard troops.

TRUMP STATE DEPARTMENT DECLARES TREN DE ARAGUA, MS-13, MEXICAN DRUG CARTELS AS FOREIGN TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS

The Trump administration on Wednesday designated eight gangs and cartels, including Tren de Aragua, the Sinaloa Cartel and MS-13, as foreign terrorist organizations. This move expands the U.S. government’s ability to crack down on criminal organizations operating in its territory.

In a public notice on the matter, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that there was a "sufficient factual basis" under section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act to issue the designations.

On Wednesday, U.S. NORTHCOM Commander Gen. Gregory M. Guillot and Mexican Secretary of National Defense Gen. Ricardo Trevilla Trejo spoke about coordinating along the border and signed a mutual agreement on cooperative activities, the Defense Department announced. 

NOEM MAKES AGGRESSIVE NEW MOVE TO RAMP UP ARRESTS, DEPORTATIONS OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS

The agreement allegedly calls for an increase in information sharing and improved communications methods, as well as a call for Mexico and the U.S. to respect each other’s sovereignty.

Troop deployments and wall fortifications are parts of Trump’s crackdown on the southern border. 

Earlier this month, the Trump administration began sending flights of illegal immigrants to the Guantánamo Bay detention facilities in Cuba. 

Around 30,000 "criminal illegal aliens" could be held in the base that once housed hundreds of prisoners, only 15 of whom were left before Trump began sending migrants there. 

Singer and songwriter Joy Villa, well-known for her contentious attire at Grammy Award shows, strutted the red carpet once again on Sunday in a gown that served up a strong message.

Villa was spotted at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards in a gold dress and necklace dispersed with images of the DOGWIFHAT $WIF memecoin, a necklace featuring his face and a red hat that read "The hat stays on."

"I was kind of a walking meme," Villa told Fox News Digital. "Obviously, I’m a MAGA girl and MAGA and crypto are starting to bridge the gap."

JOY VILLA TURNS HEADS WITH PRO-LIFE OUTFIT AT THE GRAMMYS

"Cryptocurrency represents freedom," she added. "We can disengage from the big banks. As artists, we can dictate our own financial independence."

The dress was tailored by atelier dress designer Andre Soriano, who also curated the controversial "Make America Great Again" dress Villa first wore to the 2017 Grammys.

"I’ve had people try to snatch my MAGA hats off," Villa said.

Villa said that among the vicious rhetoric she has received since expressing her support for President Donald Trump and his policies eight years ago are threats of sexual assault and death in addition to racial slurs. Despite having experienced vocal and physical backlash, Villa said the hat sends a message of her courage, resilience and vibrancy.

'MAGA' DRESS DESIGNER FORCED TO REMOVE TRUMP SIGNS FROM BUSINESS, RESIDENCE WHEN 'KAREN' CALLED POLICE

"I don’t worship Trump, but I worship Jesus Christ as my Lord and savior, and I know that God gave me a voice to speak in Hollywood as an artist, as an actress, as a musician," Villa told Fox News Digital. "The red carpet is my battlefield."

A focal point of Villa’s conservative messaging at high-profile events is her religious devotion.

"I shared Jesus Christ with every single person I interviewed and none of them posted that," she said.

"America needs to bless God because the fight is not over yet," she added. "We got to stop aborting babies. We got to put prayer back in schools. Nobody needs to have their religion demonized and, for some reason, you can say every other name at the Grammys or the red carpet awards except for Jesus Christ."

SINGER JOY VILLA MAKES A POLITICAL FASHION STATEMENT AGAINST PLANNED PARENTHOOD

While Villa’s remarks about religion were passed over by the media, her message in support of the deportations of illegal immigrants in the U.S. was publicized.

"I’m a proud Afro-Latina," she said. "I know being in the Latina community, being a woman of color, I know how much illegal immigration hurts us, and people won’t talk about that."

Since taking office on Jan. 20, Trump has acted on his promise of mass deportations and cracked down on illegal immigration. This has included ending deportation protection for hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans and deporting thousands of illegal immigrants to Mexico.

"It is a crime to come here illegally," Villa said. "I’ve traveled to 39 countries and in every single one of them I had to get the proper documentation and show my ID."

Villa scrutinized actress Selena Gomez for taking to social media recently to cry about President Trump’s swift action removing illegal immigrants.

"Girl, sit all the way down," Villa said. "You are an American citizen and those are not your people."

"Deport everyone who's coming here illegally," she said.

The Senate on Saturday voted to confirm South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem as secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, making her the fourth of President Donald Trump’s nominees to win approval from the chamber.

The vote was 59–34, with all Republicans present voting yes and seven Democrats voting yes. Noem had been expected to be confirmed comfortably, having faced no significant issues during her confirmation hearing. Her nomination advanced out of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee by a vote of 13–2. Only two Democrats voted against her there. 

Noem becomes the fourth of President Donald Trump's picks to be confirmed, behind Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. 

KRISTI NOEM BEATS SENATE CONFIRMATION HURDLE, ADVANCING TO FINAL VOTE FOR DHS ROLE

Noem will lead the department at a time when securing the border and tackling illegal immigration are top priorities for the new administration. The administration has taken a number of actions to secure the border, including deploying the military, restarting wall construction and ending Biden-era parole programs. 

Meanwhile, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been launching deportation operations throughout the country to fulfill Trump’s promise of a "historic" operation.

The Department of Homeland Security has issued a slew of memos since Trump's inauguration, ordering reviews of parole and expanding the ability of officials to quickly deport illegal immigrants from the U.S. who have recently arrived. Those memos have been signed by Acting Secretary Benjamine Huffman. 

TRUMP DHS PICK NOEM PLEDGES TO END CONTROVERSIAL APP USED BY MIGRANTS ON ‘DAY ONE’ 

At her confirmation hearing, Noem pointed to other parts of the Homeland Security mission, including cybersecurity, disaster relief and counterterrorism. 

"We must be vigilant and proactive and innovative to protect the homeland," she said. "The challenges in front of us are extremely significant, and we must secure our borders against illegal trafficking and immigration. We must safeguard our critical infrastructure to make sure that we're protected against cyber attacks, respond to natural disasters and also terrorism."

However, she emphasized that border security is a "top priority."

"As a nation, we have the right and the responsibility to secure our borders against those who would do us harm. And we must create a fair and lawful immigration system that is efficient and is effective, and that reflects our values," she said. 

As governor, she pledged in 2021 not to take any more migrants from the Biden administration and also deployed the National Guard to the border in Texas. She also had experience with disaster response, working with federal officials to tackle floods that hit the state in June.

At her hearing, Noem was also asked about how she would work with border czar Tom Homan, who has been tapped to lead the deportation effort and secure the border.

Noem responded by saying that she and Homan "work very well together and talk and communicate all the time. And we'll be working together on a daily basis when we're in our positions under the new administration. And I would say there's no authority being planned to be taken away from the department or myself if I'm in the role."

Fox News' Julia Johnson contributed to this report.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is requesting that the federal government reimburse his state more than $11.1 billion for taxpayer money spent on securing the southern border during former President Joe Biden's administration.

Abbott, who sent letters to U.S. Congressional members on Thursday, said the Biden administration's "refusal to do its job the last four years" resulted in the crisis at the southern border that has spilled into the rest of the country.

"President Biden’s policies left Texas and the rest of America defenseless against an unprecedented infiltration of violent criminals, known terrorists, and other hostile foreign actors, like the dangerous Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua," the governor wrote.

HOUSE REPUBLICAN INTRODUCES BILL TO REIMBURSE TEXAS FOR BILLIONS SPENT TO SECURE BORDER

In response to the federal government's lack of action at the border, Abbott took matters into his own hands and launched Operation Lone Star in March 2021, which deployed the Texas National Guard and Texas Department of Public Safety to the US-Mexico border.

Operation Lone Star has reduced illegal immigration into Texas by 87% over the past four years, proving the "effectiveness of President Donald Trump's border measures," according to Abbott, who added that his efforts have shone a national spotlight on the crisis.

The governor outlined that the operation has also resulted in the apprehension of more than half a million illegal immigrants, stopped more than 140,000 illegal attempts to enter the US, made more than 50,000 criminal arrests, seized more than half a billion lethal doses of fentanyl, built more than 240 miles of border barriers and established the only National Guard base along the Texas-Mexico border.

"In short, Texas stepped up where the federal government refused and in doing so, protected all Americans from President Biden’s dangerous policies," Abbott wrote.

HOUSE REPUBLICANS RENEW PUSH TO REIMBURSE TEXAS FOR 'OPERATION LONE STAR' BORDER SECURITY PUSH

Though he is proud of the operation, Abbott noted that its success came with a high price tag of more than $11.1 billion, which has been, and continues to be, paid by Texas taxpayers when it "should have been the federal government's responsibility."

In a document breaking down the costs, Abbott said that prior to the Biden administration, the state of Texas spent approximately $800 million every two years to supplement federal efforts at the border.

"The burden that our State has borne is a direct result of a refusal by the federal government to do its job," Abbott wrote. "The work that Texas has done through Operation Lone Star has protected and will continue to benefit the entire country."

House Republicans have introduced bills in the past requesting Texas be reimbursed for the billions spent on border security, but legislation has never been passed.

The Trump administration is significantly expanding its powers to quickly deport illegal immigrants, one of a number of rapid-fire moves made by the administration to fulfill its promise to launch a mass deportation operation.

A Department of Homeland Security notice, issued Tuesday, removes limits put on the power of expedited removal put in place in March 2022 during the Biden administration. Until the new memo, officials were limited in their use of the power to 100 miles of the border or recent arrivals.

Expedited removal allows for the rapid removal of illegal immigrants who have failed to meet the standard for asylum or have not requested asylum. The new power takes off the 2022 limits, allowing agents to remove those who are unable to prove they have lived in the U.S. for at least two years.

TRUMP BORDER CZAR REVEALS ICE TEAMS ARE ALREADY ARRESTING ‘PUBLIC SAFETY THREATS’

"Presently, immigration officers may apply expedited removal to aliens apprehended anywhere in the United States for up to two years after the alien arrived in the United States, provided that the alien arrived by sea and the other conditions for expedited removal were satisfied," the notice, signed by acting DHS Secretary Benjamine Huffman, said.

"In particular, the full application of expedited removal authority will enable DHS to address more effectively and efficiently the large volume of aliens who are present in the United States unlawfully, without having been admitted or paroled into the United States, and ensure the prompt removal from the United States of those not entitled to enter, remain, or be provided relief or protection from removal," it says.

The memo comes a day after DHS rescinded a Biden-era memo limiting the places in which Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers could arrest illegal immigrants. Another memo ordered a review of the use of humanitarian parole to admit migrants.

TRUMP DHS REPEALS KEY MAYORKAS MEMO LIMITING ICE AGENTS, ORDERS PAROLE REVIEW

That, in turn, came after a slew of executive orders signed by President Donald Trump that declared a national emergency at the border, halted refugee resettlement, ordered a removal process without asylum, ordered border wall reconstruction and deployed the military to the border.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE

Trump promised a "historic" mass deportation operation, and his border czar, Tom Homan, said on Tuesday that the operation was already underway.

"No, it started [Immigration and Customs Enforcement]. Teams are out there as of today," Homan said on "America’s Newsroom." "We gave them direction to prioritize public safety threats that we're looking for. We've been working up the target list."

Fox News' Bill Melugin contributed to this report.

President Trump on Monday made a number of ambitious announcements on border security and immigration, eyeing a sweeping overhaul of U.S. policy and likely fueling pushback from Democrats and immigration activists in the weeks and months ahead.

Trump used his inaugural address to outline his plans to fulfill his campaign promises to seal the southern border and launch a historic mass deportation campaign.

"First, I will declare a national emergency at our southern border. All illegal entry will immediately be halted," Trump said moments after being inaugurated. "And we will begin the process of returning millions and millions of criminal aliens back to the places from which they came."

TRUMP VOWS ‘NEW ERA OF NATIONAL SUCCESS,' SAYS AMERICA'S ‘DECLINE IS OVER’ IN INAUGURAL ADDRESS

Fox News had previewed Trump’s immigration moves, which include deploying the military to the border, ending Biden-era parole policies, restoring border wall construction and designating international cartels as foreign terrorist organizations. 

Trump also will be ending birthright citizenship for illegal immigrants, suspending refugee resettlement and creating a rapid removal process that does not allow for an asylum claim, officials told reporters.

Officials told reporters in a press call that Trump would sign an order clarifying language in the 14th Amendment and stating that the federal government "will not recognize automatic birthright citizenship for children of illegal aliens born in the United States."

Trump reiterated many of these promises in his address.

TRUMP TO DEPLOY MILITARY TO BORDER, END BIDEN PAROLE POLICIES IN FLURRY OF DAY 1 EXECUTIVE ORDERS

"We will reinstate my Remain in Mexico policy. I will end the practice of catch-and-release. And I will send troops to the southern border to repel the disastrous invasion of our country. Under the orders I signed today, we will also be designating the cartels as foreign terrorist organizations," he said. 

"And by invoking the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, I will direct our government to use the full and immense power of federal and state law enforcement to eliminate the presence of all foreign gangs and criminal networks bringing devastating crime to U.S. soil, including our cities and inner cities."

TRUMP TO TAKE MORE THAN 200 EXECUTIVE ACTIONS ON DAY 1

"As commander in chief, I have no higher responsibility than to defend our country from threats and invasions," he said. "And that is exactly what I am going to do. We will do it at a level that nobody has ever seen before." 

Trump made tackling illegal immigration, including a mass deportation operation, a central theme of his 2024 campaign.

Polls showed Americans saw illegal immigration as a top issue during the 2024 election, and some Democrats in Congress recently have supported legislation to require the detention of certain illegal immigrants by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. 

Fox News' Brooke Singman and Bill Melugin contributed to this report.

A newly built segment of border wall in southern Arizona will keep out more than just illegal immigrants, a nonprofit conservation organization says.

The border wall segment and a "paved road across Arizona's California Gulch is blocking streamflow critical to the survival of one of only two U.S. populations of Sonora chub," a press release from the Center for Biological Diversity reads.

The "rare desert fish" is a "small, moderately chubby fish that feasts on a variety of native food sources and has a unique and distinctly red coloration on the underside when in breeding condition," the organization says.

"The new wall and road will push these imperiled fish to the brink of extinction," Krista Kemppinen, Ph.D., a senior scientist at the Center for Biological Diversity, said in a statement. 

LINDSEY GRAHAM DEFENDS KASH PATEL IN HEATED EXCHANGE WITH CBS HOST

"The Sonora chub’s survival depends on being able to access scarce desert water on both sides of the border, exchange genetic material with nearby populations in Mexico, and bolster its populations with upstream migrations of fish from Sonora after droughts. The new construction makes all that impossible," she continued.

The organization drew attention to the matter just days before President-elect Donald Trump is set to retake office and ramp up his border security efforts.

TRUMP TO BE SWORN IN ON BIBLE GIVEN TO HIM BY HIS MOTHER, AND THE LINCOLN BIBLE

"Designating California Gulch as critical habitat is more urgent than ever to minimize other threats, such as by keeping cows out of the Sonora chub’s pools," Kemppinen said in the statement. "It’s also imperative that carefully designed culverts be added to the new border infrastructure to allow at least some semblance of a natural streamflow and migration. If federal officials are serious about saving this fish, they need to act now."

Earlier this month, Trump set off a fiery debate over whether Democrats should be to blame for California's wildfires after he accused Gov. Gavin Newsom of caring more about protecting endangered fish species known as smelt than protecting the state's residents from wildfires. 

Trump set off a firestorm on Wednesday when he called out Newsom on his Truth Social platform for wanting "to protect an essentially worthless fish" over protecting the water needs of Californians. The comments are not new, however. In the run-up to the November election, Trump made the claim during an October interview with podcaster Joe Rogan.

Neither the Center for Biological Diversity nor the Trump transition team responded to a request for comment regarding this story. 

Fox News' Alec Schemmel contributed to this report. 

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is telling lawmakers that the Laken Riley Act, an anti-illegal immigration bill expected to hit President-elect Trump’s desk in the coming weeks, will cost an additional $3 billion due to the agency needing an additional 60,000 detention beds.

ICE responded to questions by Rep. Mike Collins, R-Ga., on the impact of the Laken Riley Act. The bill passed the House this month and looks likely to pass the Senate. It requires DHS to detain illegal immigrants who have been arrested for theft-related crimes. 

It also allows for states to sue DHS for alleged failures in enforcing immigration law. The bill is named after Laken Riley, a Georgia student who was murdered by an illegal immigrant from Venezuela last year. It has picked up the support of Republicans as well as a number of Democrats.

BIDEN DHS EXEMPTED THOUSANDS OF IMMIGRANTS FROM TERROR-RELATED ENTRY RESTRICTIONS IN FY 2024

In the letter, obtained by Fox News Digital, ICE says it has identified tens of thousands of illegal immigrants who would meet the criteria for arrest both on its detained docket and non-detained docket. It said that its Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) has estimated that the number of illegal immigrants on its national docket who meet the criteria would be over 60,000. The letter was first reported by Politico.

"Since the Laken Riley Act requires ERO to immediately detain those noncitizens, ERO would then require, at minimum, 64,000 additional detention beds; however this does not account for other immigration enforcement mandates that may place a need for increased detention capacity."

SENATE DEMS TO JOIN REPUBLICANS TO ADVANCE ANTI-ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION BILL NAMED AFTER LAKEN RILEY

ICE estimates that increasing that capacity would require a funding increase of approximately $3.2 billion. Additionally, it estimates that it will need 10 new Mobile Crisis Assistance Teams (MCAT) and a HQ law enforcement officer across eight field offices, requiring an additional nearly $15 million along with associated equipment.

Notably, ERO says it currently possesses the authority to fulfill the requirements of the Act and would require no additional authorities.

The agency warned that it may have to release tens of thousands of illegal immigrants if it does not get the additional bedspace.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE

"...[I]f supplemental funding is not received and ICE remains at its current bed capacity, the agency would not have the detention capacity to accommodate the immediate arrest and detention of noncitizens convicted or charged with property crimes," it says. "ERO anticipates that tens of thousands of noncitizens would need to be released by the end of the fiscal year, resulting in the potential release of public safety threats."

As challenges to implementation, it cites the challenges of having ICE officers, and also the challenges of sanctuary cities: "A complicating factor is a lack of cooperation from ICE’s state and local law enforcement partners."

This is not the first alarm that ICE has sounded about its funding levels, noting in its FY 24 report that it is already underfunded with its existing responsibilities.

"Throughout the year, the agency was called on to do more without commensurate funding, working within the confines of strained resources and competing priorities while steadfastly supporting the Department of Homeland Security and its component agencies in their efforts to secure the border," the agency said.

President-elect Trump has promised to launch a mass deportation operation, in which ICE would be the operative agency. In Congress, Republicans are preparing to make significant funding changes via the budget reconciliation process. Border security and interior enforcement would likely be top priorities for Republicans, given the issues’ prominence in the 2024 election.

Police in the Mexican state of Chihuahua believe that the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua may be behind the murder of a Mexican immigration official just south of the U.S. border.

The Mexican immigration agent, Luis Alberto Olivas, was pushed down a hill and stoned to death by two Venezuelan migrants identified as David J.V. and Carlos Arichuna S.M. on Dec. 30. The murder took place by a military checkpoint close to Ciudad Juárez, just south of El Paso, Texas.

According to Border Report, Mexican authorities believe that at least one of the Venezuelans is suspected of being a member of Tren de Aragua (TdA), which is a transnational criminal organization that facilitates much of the drug and human trafficking in the area.

TREN DE ARAGUA ARE IDEOLOGICAL TERRORISTS DISGUISED AS A STREET GANG WARNS FORMER MILITARY OFFICER

Chihuahua Public Safety Director Gilberto Loya told Border Report that one of the alleged killers "has the tattoos that we have identified as probably linked to Tren de Aragua" and that police have shared this information with other agencies and are "waiting for the next binational meeting to have it checked in [American] databases."

The tattoo in question depicts an owl, a symbol that according to Mexican investigative journalist Luis Chaparro is "often found on Tren de Aragua members" and often indicates a human smuggler "guide."

According to local news source "El Diario MX," the two possible Tren de Aragua members threw stones at Olivas’ chest, pushed him, causing him to fall six meters down a hill, and then smashed his head with a large stone, killing him.

TRUMP DIGS INTO BIDEN ADMIN FOR SELLING OFF BORDER WALL AT ‘FIVE CENTS ON THE DOLLAR’

CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE

TdA has been active on the U.S. southern border in recent weeks. On Dec. 31, the Texas Department of Public Safety caught four confirmed TdA members trying to sneak into the U.S illegally.

The individuals were identified as Segundo Ocando-Mejia, 39; Pedro Luis Salazar-Cuervo, 27; Antonio Joe Urruttia-Rojas, 18; and Levi Jesus Urrutia-Blanco, 18. Ocando-Mejia had tattoos on his shoulders indicating he may hold rank or leadership within the gang.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who has led many efforts to secure the border and clamp down on TdA, responded to the arrests by saying: "Our top priority is the safety and security of Texans, including against the growing threat of Tren de Aragua."

During a press conference at Mar-a-Lago on Tuesday, President-elect Donald Trump renewed his criticisms of the Biden administration for selling off border wall materials at "five cents on the dollar," saying: "These people either hate our country or they’re stupid."

He also slammed the private company managing the border wall sales for attempting to sell the materials back to his incoming administration at a significant upcharge.

"You know what they were doing. They were calling us up and saying: ‘We'll sell it back to you at 200 cents.’ In other words, double what we paid for it," he said. "So, they were going to buy it from this guy [President Joe Biden] for five cents on the dollar. They were making deals."

SEAN HANNITY: THESE ACTIONS ARE DESIGNED TO UNDERMINE TRUMP

The Biden administration has been auctioning off border wall parts since at least 2023, with parts listed for sale on auction marketplaces, after it abruptly shut down most border wall construction in 2021.

An official at the Department of Defense told Fox News Digital in December that the materials being sold through online auctions were already sold off by the federal government earlier in 2024, with a large percentage of the materials being sold to a government surplus retailer called Gov Planet.

Following a lawsuit by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton the Biden administration agreed to a court order to stop further wall material sales.

Speaking in December, Trump said the Biden administration’s border wall sales were "almost a criminal act" that would cost American taxpayers "hundreds of millions of dollars."

A SECURE BORDER SAVES LIVES, TOM HOMAN SAYS

Trump said on Tuesday the private retailer was "calling us, asking us to pay them 200 cents because it's a good deal because we can have it immediately."

But to this, Trump said: "You know what ‘immediately’ is? Just leave it in place."

"Fortunately, we had a very smart judge that stopped it cold," he went on. "But think of it. They were selling the wall. That was exactly the wall that the Border Patrol wanted that was designed by them: steel, concrete, rebar… Everything was top of the line, very expensive. It would be double what we paid for it then, six years ago."

CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE

Speaking of the Biden administration, Trump said: "These people either hate our country or they’re very stupid."

"They were selling the wall for five cents on the dollar and trying to resell it back to us for 200 cents, or less, but for 200 cents on the dollar." he said. "That deal is like all the other things that these people do." 

President-elect Trump filed an amicus brief late Thursday in support of a legal effort by Texas and Missouri to "immediately" stop the Biden administration’s sale of border wall materials, saying the action is "possibly criminal." 

Texas and Missouri filed a motion earlier this week in a district court in the southern district of Texas to hold a status conference to determine if the government is in breach of the court’s permanent injunction from earlier this year. That injunction barred the Biden administration from using funds obligated for wall construction for anything other than that purpose. 

'PATTERN OF DISREGARD': RED STATES SEEK COURT ACTION AGAINST BIDEN ADMIN'S ‘SHAMEFUL’ BORDER WALL DISPOSAL

"The Court should issue an order directing the Defendants to immediately stop any ongoing sale of border-barrier materials to private parties pending the Court’s review of Defendant’s conduct, and the Court should swiftly conduct a searching examination of the Government’s conduct, by formal discovery if necessary, to examine the Government’s compliance with the law, the Constitution, and the Court’s injunction," Trump’s amicus brief states. 

The Biden administration has been auctioning off border wall parts since at least 2023, with parts listed for sale on auction marketplaces, after it abruptly shut down most border wall construction in 2021.

Those auctions have continued, with border officials telling Fox that auctions now occur weekly and have been for some time. However, the practice made news last week, when The Daily Wire published video showing parts being transported and cited Border Patrol agents who said the goal was to clear them out before Christmas.

Trump’s amicus brief states that if officials in the Biden administration are "deliberately selling off border-wall materials at a major financial loss to the Government to obstruct the pro-wall policy of Congress and President Trump, such conduct likely constitutes a criminal act, such as a conspiracy to defraud the United States." 

"At the very least, the reported conduct raises troubling concerns of potentially criminal behavior," the filing states. 

GOP SENATOR MOVES TO BLOCK FEDS FROM DISPOSING OF BORDER WALL MATERIALS AMID AUCTION BACKLASH 

A Defense official told Fox News last week that the Pentagon has been disposing of excess wall construction in accordance with the fiscal year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act, which required the Defense secretary to submit a plan to use, transfer or donate all remaining wall material purchased with Pentagon funds. That plan was submitted in March.

The official said border states, including Texas, were first offered that material for purchase before auction. The official also said the materials no longer belong to the U.S. government, adding the Defense Department has no legal authority to recall the material or stop further resale of it.

"Through our reutilization, transfer and donation process, nearly 60% of those materials were transferred to authorized recipients, including U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the states of Texas and California," the official said. "The remaining 40% was sold to GovPlanet under a competitive sales contract process beginning in June 2024. The material currently being sold through GovPlanet online auctions no longer belongs to the U.S. Government, and DOD has no legal authority to recall the material or stop further resale of material it no longer owns."

CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS

However, those statements have not stopped the outrage from Republicans, who see the auctions as a move to stop the Trump administration from building the wall. Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn., introduced legislation this week to put a halt to the auctions.

Trump, meanwhile, said on Monday he had been working with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and others to acquire the materials.

"What they're doing is really an act, it's almost a criminal act," he said. "They know we're going to use it, and if we don't have it, we're going to have to rebuild it. And it'll cost double what it cost years ago, and that's hundreds of millions of dollars because you're talking about a lot of, a lot of wall."

Paxton said in a statement that Texas is going to court to "prevent any border security materials from being unlawfully sold and to find out the truth about what the federal government may be doing to subvert border wall construction."

‘STANDING BY TO HELP’: RED STATE REVEALS PLAN TO PURCHASE AUCTIONED BORDER WALL MATERIALS TO STORE FOR TRUMP

"President Trump has an overwhelming mandate from the American people to build the wall and I will do everything in my power to prevent any acts of sabotage by the outgoing administration," he said.

Texas has said it intends to do all it can to help the incoming administration build the wall at the southern border when Trump enters office.

"The Biden Administration's latest attempt to block Texas and President-Elect Donald Trump's efforts to secure the southern border is downright shameful and demonstrates a continued pattern of disregard for the safety of Texas and American families in favor of increasingly disastrous open border policies," Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

Officials said this week they intend to purchase the auctioned off materials, and Buckingham said she intends to store it on state land for the new administration.

"I made a promise to use every tool at my disposal from the GLO to secure our border and protect Texans," Buckingham said in the statement to Fox. "That is why I have offered state leaders and President-elect Donald Trump the opportunity to store any wall panels his incoming administration may acquire on state land. I will never give up the fight to secure our porous southern border and protect our sons and daughters from violent, criminal illegal immigrants."

Fox News' Jennifer Griffin contributed to this report. 

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced a new billboard campaign on Thursday to warn potential illegal immigrants about the "horrific" reality of human trafficking, violence and danger facing them if they attempt to illegally enter the U.S.

Abbott said the state is placing dozens of billboards with warnings in several languages throughout Mexico and Central America.

"We’re here to expose the truth to immigrants who are thinking about coming here, the truth about the traffickers who assault so many of the women and children along the way," the governor said. "The message is: Do not risk a dangerous trip just to be arrested and deported."

Abbott, who recently made another trip to the border with the incoming border czar, Tom Homan, also emphasized that the new Trump administration will "prioritize for deportation illegal immigrants who have been arrested."

INCOMING BORDER CZAR HOMAN ISSUES WARNING IN TEXAS TO DEMS OPPOSING TRUMP DEPORTATIONS: 'DON'T TEST US'

Billboards will be written in Spanish, Russian, Chinese and Arabic, and will be placed along migrant travel routes.

The governor made his announcement at a ranch on the southern border. He was standing by a burned "rape tree," where property owners have said migrant women were routinely raped. Abbott said the billboards "tell the horror stories of human trafficking" and "inform potential illegal immigrants about the reality of what will happen to them if they try to enter Texas illegally."

One billboard written in Spanish depicts a little girl and simply asks: "How much did you pay to have your daughter raped?"

'SHUT IT DOWN': RED STATE MAKES MASSIVE LAND BUY TO RAMP UP BORDER WALL EFFORTS AMID MIGRANT SURGE

Another depicts a pregnant woman and says: "Your wife and daughter will pay for their trip with their bodies."

Abbott criticized governments and private groups who "make it sound like it may be harmless going into the state of Texas," and said the state is trying to "provide reality facts for immigrants thinking about coming here to save their lives, to save them from sexual assault, save them from being arrested and let them know there are consequences if they take any further steps to come to the state of Texas."

"This is tough medicine, but we want no more rape trees in Texas," said Abbott. "Do not make the dangerous trek to Texas."

The governor went on to lament the historic surge in illegal immigration under the Biden administration, saying: "It's a deadly situation, a horrific situation, a horror that we fully expect to end beginning in about a month when President Trump takes office and shuts down the border and restores safety and normalcy to the immigration process."

FIRST ON FOX: A top Texas official is slamming what she says is the "downright shameful" auctioning off of border wall materials as the state asks a district court to investigate whether the Biden administration has violated a court order.

"The Biden Administration's latest attempt to block Texas and President-Elect Donald Trump's efforts to secure the southern border is downright shameful and demonstrates a continued pattern of disregard for the safety of Texas and American families in favor of increasingly disastrous open border policies," Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

Buckingham’s office, along with the states of Texas and Missouri filed a motion late Tuesday in a district court in the southern district of Texas to hold a status conference to determine if the government is in breach of the court’s permanent injunction from earlier this year. That injunction barred the administration from using funds obligated for wall construction for anything other than that purpose.

The Biden administration has been auctioning off border wall parts since at least 2023 with parts listed for sale on auction marketplaces, after it abruptly shut down most border wall construction in 2021.

GOP SENATOR MOVES TO BLOCK FEDS FROM DISPOSING OF BORDER WALL MATERIALS AMID AUCTION BACKLASH 

Those auctions have continued, with border officials telling Fox that auctions now occur weekly and have been for some time. But the practice made news last week when The Daily Wire published video showing parts being transported, and cited Border Patrol agents who said the goal was to clear it out before Christmas.

A defense official told Fox News last week that the Pentagon has been disposing of excess wall construction in accordance with the fiscal year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act, which required the defense secretary to submit a plan to use, transfer or donate all remaining wall material purchased with Pentagon funds. That plan was submitted in March.

The official said border states, including Texas, were first offered that material for purchase before auction. The official also said the materials no longer belong to the U.S. government, adding the Defense Department has no legal authority to recall the material or stop further resale of it.

‘STANDING BY TO HELP’: RED STATE REVEALS PLAN TO PURCHASE AUCTIONED BORDER WALL MATERIALS TO STORE FOR TRUMP

"Through our reutilization, transfer and donation process, nearly 60% of those materials were transferred to authorized recipients, including U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the states of Texas and California," the official said. "The remaining 40% was sold to GovPlanet under a competitive sales contract process beginning in June 2024. The material currently being sold through GovPlanet online auctions no longer belongs to the U.S. Government, and DOD has no legal authority to recall the material or stop further resale of material it no longer owns."

However, those statements have not stopped the outrage from Republicans, who see the auctions as a move to stop the Trump administration building the wall. Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn., introduced legislation this week to stop ther practice.

President-elect Trump, meanwhile, said on Monday he had been working with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and others to acquire the materials.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS

"What they're doing is really an act, it's almost a criminal act," he said. "They know we're going to use it, and if we don't have it, we're going to have to rebuild it. And it'll cost double what it cost years ago, and that's hundreds of millions of dollars because you're talking about a lot of, a lot of wall."

Paxton said in a statement that Texas is going to court to "prevent any border security materials from being unlawfully sold and to find out the truth about what the federal government may be doing to subvert border wall construction."

"President Trump has an overwhelming mandate from the American people to build the wall and I will do everything in my power to prevent any acts of sabotage by the outgoing administration," he said.

Texas has said it intends to do all it can to help the incoming administration build the wall at the southern border when it enters office. Officials said this week they intend to purchase the auctioned off materials, and Buckingham said she intends to store it on state land for the new administration.

"I made a promise to use every tool at my disposal from the GLO to secure our border and protect Texans," Buckingham said in the statement to Fox. "That is why I have offered state leaders and President-Elect Donald Trump the opportunity to store any wall panels his incoming administration may acquire on state land. I will never give up the fight to secure our porous southern border and protect our sons and daughters from violent, criminal illegal immigrants."

Fox News' Jennifer Griffin contributed to this report.