By Ted Hesson
(Reuters) – Texas is launching a deep-rooted billboard campaign in Mexico and Central America to deter illegal immigration by highlighting sexual violence and other dangers, Texas Governor Greg Abbott said on Thursday, the Republican’s latest move to tighten border crossings to counteract.
“How much did you pay to have your daughter raped,” read one of the signs. Another warned that migrants will be arrested if they enter Texas illegally.
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“Our goal at this point is not just to discourage them from coming, but to help them understand the consequences,” Abbott said.
The number of migrants caught illegally crossing the U.S.-Mexico border soared to record highs after President Joe Biden took office in 2021, fueling criticism from Abbott and other Republicans.
President-elect Donald Trump retook the White House in November, promising mass deportations and aggressive border security efforts.
Biden tightened his border policies earlier this year, leading to a sharp drop in the number of migrants crossing illegally in recent months.
Abbott said the billboard campaign will cost about $100,000 and aims to push back migrants considering crossing the border illegally before Trump takes office on Jan. 20.
“There are a lot of people making a last ditch effort,” Abbott said.
Texas officials said in November that the state would offer 567 acres of land near the border to the new Trump administration for its mass deportation initiative.
(Reporting by Ted Hesson in Washington; Editing by Sandra Maler)
