The Texas Department of Public Safety this week caught a confirmed MS-13 gang member with a violent criminal history, including kidnapping and sexual violence, in the latest example of criminals attempting to enter the U.S. illegally.
Emerson Lopez Fugon, an MS-13 gang member from Honduras, was arrested by Texas DPS Rangers Special Operations after he was found hiding on a train near Eagle Pass, Texas.
Fugon is a registered sex offender.
MS-13, or Mara Salvatrucha, was established in Los Angeles by Central American immigrants and has expanded across the continent, particularly in Northern Triangle countries like El Salvador and Guatemala.
It is known for its particularly horrific and gruesome crimes, and its motto is said to be ‘mata, viola, controls,’ which means ‘kill, rape, control.’
It’s the latest capture by Texas as part of Operation Lone Star, an effort launched by Gov. Greg Abbott in 2021 to boost resources and law enforcement at the border in response to the ongoing migrant crisis.
‘If not for @TxDPS & Gov. @GregAbbott_TX’s Operation Lone Star, Lopez Fugon, a confirmed MS-13 gang member w/ a violent criminal history, would have made it further into the interior,’ Texas DPS spokesperson Chris Olivarez said in a statement.
‘It’s the men & women who proudly wear the Texas Tan that are on the front lines arresting criminals & protecting our state & country.’
It’s the latest threat identified at the southern border as law enforcement and Border Patrol tackle the thousands of migrants coming to the U.S. each day.
Fox News obtained images this week that showed suspected cartel gunmen coming across the border, clad in body armor and toting rifles.
That came after DPS drone operators in Eagle Pass spotted an armed smuggler carrying a long gun and guiding a group of illegal immigrants across the Rio Grande.
Border Patrol Chief Jason Owens announced this week that six sex offenders were nabbed by Border Patrol over the weekend, along with one gang member and one convicted felon.
‘All had extensive criminal histories as repeat offenders,’ he said.
Adam Shaw is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital, primarily covering immigration and border security.
He can be reached at adam.shaw2@fox.com or on Twitter.