Illegal alien haven Colony Ridge targeted by Trump immigration officials: Gov. Abbott

On Monday, federal and state law enforcement reportedly descended upon Colony Ridge, the controversial land development near Houston, as part of ongoing efforts by the Trump administration to deport illegal aliens.

Tom Homan, Trump's border czar, has apparently been planning to investigate Colony Ridge for some time. "Colony Ridge is being targeted today," Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott posted to X. "... I have worked with Tom Homan on this for months."

Abbott indicated that the operation will involve both Homeland Security agents and Texas Department of Public Safety troopers and will "target" criminals and illegal immigrants alike. Officials have alleged for years that drug cartels run rampant in the development, allegations that Houston Landing described as "conspiracy theories."

Houston Landing also indicated that the operation touted by Abbott was actually rather routine. "We’ve been here for two years. It’s nothing new for what we’re doing," Sgt. Eric Burse, a public information officer with the DPS, told the outlet.

"All of a sudden you get a tweet, and it just blows up."

A spokesperson for John and Trey Harris, two brothers who co-own Colony Ridge, did not respond to a request for comment from the outlet.

'Colony Ridge promised the American dream, but ... in reality, it has delivered a nightmare for thousands of hardworking Hispanic families.'

Though Colony Ridge has been around for more than a decade, the sprawling, 33,000-acre development became the subject of scrutiny just in the last year or so after news about the horrendous conditions there spread across the country. Dubbed "the world's largest trailer park," the area is riddled with ramshackle housing, crumbling roads, and overcrowded schools.

Violent crime and even fetid water have likewise plagued residents there, Blaze News previously reported.

As its name suggests, Colony Ridge is considered by many to be one of Texas' 1,800 colonias, which the state attorney general's office describes as "substandard housing developments ... where residents lack basic services such as drinking water, sewage treatment, and paved roads."

With conditions resembling those in third-world countries, colonias hold little appeal for most Americans. However, they do attract illegal immigrants because they offer an opportunity to own a piece of American land while enjoying many of the rights and privileges of American citizens and other legal residents.

Jason Buttrill, chief researcher for Blaze Media co-founder Glenn Beck, confirmed anecdotally that many Colony Ridge residents are in the U.S. illegally. For a Blaze Originals documentary entitled "The Real Story of Colony Ridge," Buttrill said he interviewed "dozens of residents" and only one of them "was a citizen."

Though co-owner John Harris guessed that only about 10% of Colony Ridge residents are illegal aliens, Liberty County Sheriff Bobby Rader scoffed at such a low estimate. He told Beck that "the majority" of the population at Colony Ridge — some 50,000 or 75,000 total people — are likely illegal aliens.

Even Merrick Garland, the radical attorney general under President Joe Biden, was alarmed by the practices at Colony Ridge. In December 2023, he sued the development for allegedly preying on prospective buyers, many of whom speak little or no English, and luring them with "false statements" about financing.

"Colony Ridge promised the American dream, but we allege that in reality, it has delivered a nightmare for thousands of hardworking Hispanic families who hoped to build their homes in the Terrenos Houston community," Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division said at the time.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) likewise sued Colony Ridge, which he characterized as a "scheme" and a "foreclosure mill."

"Colony Ridge has been flagrantly violating Texas law. The development profited from targeting consumers with fraudulent claims and predatory lending practices," Paxton said.

A trailer for "The Real Story of Colony Ridge" can be seen below. Click here to view the entire documentary at the BlazeTV channel on YouTube. To have immediate access to this and other such original content, become a BlazeTV subscriber today.

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