Cartel gunmen shoot at Border Patrol agents
With increased patrols now along the border with Mexico — including approximately 1,600 troops assigned to the U.S. Marines and the U.S. Army — the 1,954 miles from the Gulf of Mexico to the California Pacific just got a lot more interesting.
Case in point — bullets fired by some unknown cartel gunmen trying to cross people Monday in Starr County, west of Roma, near Fronton Island. Their intended targets? Apparently, U.S. Border Patrol agents, according to DPS Spokesman Lt. Chris Olivarez who posted this on X:
“Earlier today, @TxDPS responded to assist the US Border Patrol after agents received gunfire from cartel members in Mexico while patrolling in Fronton, Starr County. DPS Drone Operators captured the gunmen fleeing Mexico due to military presence, & seeking refuge on an island between the US & Mexico. The State of Texas will continue to monitor the area closely & use every resource available to prevent transnational threats to our law enforcement partners & the homeland.”
Three years ago, January 2022, a similar incident happened in the same vicinity: cartel gunmen shot at BP agents while they were trying to apprehend people crossing the border illegally.
This Monday, though, in addition to the added military presence along the river, approximately 400 additional Texas National Guard troops arrived in the RGV after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott deployed them to help beef up the patrols already in place with boots on the ground.
It was approximately 1:40 p.m. Monday when the shots were fired from the Mexican side. Now, according to multiple news sources, the U.S. and Mexico are working together to try and identify the gunmen.
Cartel Profits Down?
The cartels, presumably, can’t be happy with the added security along the border. How can they cross their fentanyl and human cargo if law enforcement, military personnel, are going to get in their way?
According to a NYTimes story published in July 2022, the cartels were making approximately $13 billion a year crossing undocumented migrants into the U.S. The 2018 dollar number was only approximately $500 million.
That didn’t include any of the cartel profits from drugs smuggled into the U.S., according to NY Times Immigration Correspondent Miriam Jordan.
Jordan also posted this on X:
“Migrant-smuggling is now a $13 billion business. Mangled limbs. Raped women. Congressional inaction is a boon to bad actors. With demand for smugglers on the rise, organized crime has moved in, with cruel and violent results.”
That story was published in 2022, approximately six months after shots were fired at BP agents near Fronton Island.
That scenario was again played out this Monday, but this time, the BP has back up: the Marines, Army troops, increased Texas DPS troopers, the Texas National Guard, not to mention serious weaponry.
If the cartels can’t make money moving people and contraband into the U.S., where can they go now to make the dinero?
The RGV’s Still Safe
Meanwhile, in a paradoxical way, while readers in the other areas of the U.S. may have a false impression of the border area now — more troops arrive along the river, etc., agents shot at — it’s probably a good idea to mention that the city of McAllen sent out a press release last week, pointing out that according to the McAllen PD’s 2024 National Incident-Based Reporting System, the city’s crime rate has declined once again, marking a 37-year low.
According to the city’s mayor, Javier Villalobos, “McAllen’s 37-year crime low is a testament to the dedication and partnership between our residents, city leadership, and the McAllen Police Department. Together, we have built a community where public safety is not just a priority but a shared responsibility.”
Overall, prostitution was up by 13 points; motor vehicle thefts up approximately 1 percent; but overall, according to the McAllen PD, crime was down 2 percent.
Overall, crime down is good news for McAllen Police Chief Victor Rodriguez who had this to say in the crime report, praising city residents, city administrators, and elected officials:
“They strive to keep McAllen thriving by preventing crime, promoting public safety, and participating in the investigation of crime when it does occur. Their collective efforts are formidable, preeminent, and unmatched, and I salute them for all that they do so that our community is safe for all who live, work, and visit McAllen.”
All told, that low crime rate applies to all of Hidalgo County, AKA, the McAllen-Edinburg-Mission Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA).
FBI crime stats for Fiscal Year 2023, for example, showed that Texas border cities were more free from violent crime compared to other U.S. cities.