Please be advised that some of the content in the following article includes conversations around rape and sexual assault.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced a new billboard campaign in Mexico and Central America aimed at discouraging illegal immigration by highlighting the dangers migrants face, including sexual assault. The initiative is the latest in a series of moves by Abbott to address the ongoing border crisis and deter unlawful crossings.
One of the billboards reads, “How much did you pay to have your daughter raped?” Another sign warns that migrants who enter Texas illegally will be arrested. Abbott emphasized that the goal is to inform potential migrants of the risks and legal consequences of illegal entry.
“Our goal right now, immediately, is not only to discourage them from coming, but to help them understand the consequences,” Abbott said during the announcement on Thursday.
Since President Joe Biden took office in 2021, illegal crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border have reached record highs, drawing sharp criticism from Abbott and other Republican leaders. Many Republicans argue that the Biden administration’s immigration policies have exacerbated the crisis by encouraging more migrants to attempt the dangerous journey.
The billboard campaign, which costs approximately $100,000, is part of Texas’s broader strategy to deter unlawful immigration ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration on January 20. Abbott expressed concern that some migrants might make a “last-gasp effort” to cross the border before Trump assumes office. Trump has pledged to implement mass deportations and strengthen border security measures upon returning to the White House.
In addition to the billboard campaign, Texas officials announced in November that the state would provide 1,400 acres of land near the border to support the incoming Trump administration’s mass deportation initiatives. This offering underscores Texas’s commitment to bolstering federal border enforcement and curbing illegal immigration.
Abbott’s administration has consistently taken a tough stance on border security, launching initiatives like Operation Lone Star, which deploys state resources to assist in border enforcement. The billboard campaign represents another proactive measure to deter potential migrants from taking dangerous routes and facing criminal consequences.
The effectiveness of such campaigns remains debated, but Texas continues to invest heavily in state-level border security measures amid what many conservative leaders describe as a federal failure to secure the border. As Trump prepares to take office, the political and policy focus on immigration enforcement is expected to intensify.
