Mexican Cartels Open Fire on US Border Patrol – Fox News 

Mexican cartels reportedly fired on US Border Patrol agents, escalating tensions at the border, according to Fox News. Investigations are underway to address the incident.

Last week, US President Donald Trump announced a national emergency at the Mexico border and deployed military forces to various crossings. He also sought to deport potentially millions of individuals residing in the country illegally.

“Fox News correspondent Bill Melugin reported on Monday afternoon that, according to multiple law enforcement sources, Border Patrol agents near Fronton, Texas came under fire from suspected cartel gunmen in Mexico while a group of illegal immigrants was being brought across the river.”

“I’ve been informed that the Border Patrol returned fire, with no injuries reported on either side, and the illegal aliens did not manage to cross,” Melugin added.

Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) spokesman Lieutenant Chris Olivarez stated that the Mexican military has stationed armored vehicles across the Rio Grande and is supplying surveillance drone images.

According to Melugin, these types of responses are typical. He mentioned that the Mexican military often “comes in guns blazing if the gunmen are still there,” and he has witnessed “some crazy drone videos” from the DPS over time, captured from the US side.

Fronton is a small community with fewer than 200 residents, situated near the river that serves as the border between the US and Mexico. Across this boundary lies Tamaulipas, a Mexican state known for being home to several cartels involved in drug and human trafficking. The Gulf Cartel (CDG), based in Matamoros, along with its offshoots such as Los Zetas, has been particularly notorious. However, recent years have seen other groups like the Jalisco New Generation (CJNG) and Sinaloa cartels encroaching into their territory.

On his first day in office, Trump instructed the US State Department, Treasury, Justice Department, Homeland Security, and the intelligence community to begin preparations for labeling the cartels as “foreign terrorist organizations.” These designations are anticipated by mid-February at the earliest.

In recent years, Texas has taken steps to strengthen the border around Fronton, pointing to what it sees as a lack of action from the federal government in preventing illegal crossings. The previous administration contended that enforcing border security was solely a federal responsibility and consequently hindered state initiatives related to this issue.