Gov. Greg Abbott expands a Houston task force targeting repeat offenders to DFW, Austin, and San Antonio after hundreds of arrests and major drug seizures.<\/p>\n
AUSTIN, Texas \u2014 Gov. Greg Abbott is expanding a Houston-based effort<\/a> targeting repeat violent offenders to some of Texas\u2019 largest metro areas.<\/p>\n Abbott announced he\u2019s directing the Texas Department of Public Safety to grow the Texas Repeat Offender Task Force into Dallas-Fort Worth, San Antonio, and Austin. The task force is a joint operation involving federal, state, and local law enforcement aimed at identifying and arresting repeat offenders.<\/p>\n RELATED: Mayor Whitmire, Judge Hidalgo react to Gov. Abbott’s plan to crack down on repeat offenders in Houston<\/a><\/p>\n The program launched in Houston in October 2025, and Abbott says it\u2019s already showing results.<\/p>\n Since then, authorities have arrested 728 repeat offenders, including 455 considered high-threat. Officers have also encountered 155 known gang members and arrested members tied to groups like MS-13, the Bloods, the Crips, and Puro Tango Blast.<\/p>\n Investigators have also seized drugs, weapons, and stolen vehicles. That includes more than 225,000 lethal doses of fentanyl, 115 pounds of methamphetamine, 7 pounds of cocaine, and 415 pounds of marijuana. The task force has also made 110 weapon seizures, 12 currency seizures, and recovered 25 stolen vehicles.<\/p>\n Abbott says the expansion is aimed at tackling what he calls a \u201crevolving door\u201d of repeat offenders \u2014 people who commit crimes, are released, and then reoffend.<\/p>\n