Texas DPS ‘Brush Team’ Intercepts Migrants Tagged with Cartel Wristbands in Starr County
STARR COUNTY, Texas — Elements of the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Brush Team apprehended a group of border crossers in Starr County on Saturday, Feb. 7, discovering that the individuals were wearing color-coded wristbands indicative of organized human smuggling operations. The apprehension was confirmed by Lt. Chris Olivarez, a spokesperson for the department, who highlighted the use of these bands as a continued tactic by transnational criminal organizations to manage their illicit logistics.
Deep Search: The Mechanics of “Human Inventory”
The discovery of these wristbands points to a highly regimented system employed by Mexican cartels to track migrants moving through their territories. Intelligence gathered from similar interdictions suggests that these bands function essentially as receipts or proofs of payment.
According to border security experts, the bands—often plastic and varying in color—carry specific codes that can signify a range of data points for smugglers:
Payment Status: Confirming that the migrant has paid the “piso” (toll) required to cross through cartel-controlled plazas.
Logistics: Indicating which specific smuggling cell is responsible for the group or where they are destined.
Attempt Tracking: In some cases, wristbands denote how many crossing attempts a migrant has purchased, allowing them to try again if apprehended and deported, provided they keep the band.
This “inventory system” allows cartels to maximize profit and minimize “losses” in their human cargo operations. The presence of these bands in Starr County suggests that despite enforcement efforts, the infrastructure of organized smuggling remains adaptive and operational in the sector.
Background: The Starr County Corridor
Starr County has long been a focal point for both human smuggling and drug trafficking due to its lack of a physical barrier in many areas and the dense brush that provides cover for evasion. The DPS “Brush Teams” are specialized units deployed specifically to operate in this rugged terrain, tracking groups that attempt to bypass detection systems.
The use of wristbands is not a new phenomenon but tends to fluctuate based on cartel control dynamics south of the Rio Grande. Historically, the Gulf Cartel and the Cartel del Noreste have exerted control over these corridors, often utilizing such tagging systems to differentiate their “merchandise” and prevent rival groups from encroaching on their profits.
Objections and Continued Debate
While state officials cite these apprehensions as proof of the necessity of Texas’s intense border policing measures, specifically Operation Lone Star, the initiative continues to face significant opposition.
Critics argue that the state-led heavy-handed approach creates a humanitarian crisis without addressing the root causes of migration. Civil rights organizations and legal advocacy groups have frequently challenged the constitutionality of the operation, alleging that it leads to racial profiling and violates the supremacy of federal immigration enforcement.
Furthermore, opponents argue that the focus on “catch and jail” tactics diverts billions of taxpayer dollars that could be better spent on humanitarian aid or processing infrastructure. They contend that the wristband system itself is a symptom of a restrictive border policy that forces migrants into the hands of predatory criminal networks, rather than a justification for increased militarization of the border region.
Despite these objections, Texas DPS maintains that interdictions like the one on Saturday are critical for dismantling the operational capacity of cartels and securing the state’s southern boundary.
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