Drug cartels are targeting US Border Patrol agents with kamikaze-style drones and explosives as the US begins its crackdown on illegal immigration.
According to an internal memo titled “Officer Safety Alert,” social media posts and other sources warned federal agents of dangers. Agents were told to be “cognizant of their surroundings” and should wear ballistic armor and use long firearms.
"On February 1, 2025, the El Paso Sector Intelligence and Operations Center (EPT-IOC) received information advising that Mexican cartel leaders have authorized the deployment of drones equipped with explosives to be used against US Border Patrol agents and US military personnel currently working along the border with Mexico," the memo, obtained by the New York Post, stated. "It is recommended that all US Border Patrol agents and DoD personnel working along the border report any sighting of drones to their respective leadership staff and the EPT-IOC," it said.
TikTok posts and other social media sites used by cartels also told illegal immigrants to spit and urinate on ICE agents and defecate in their vehicles. Other posts instruct assassins to target border personnel, reported Fox.
Border Patrol agents in Fronton, Texas, came under gunfire from cartel members positioned in Mexico last week, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS). The gunmen, attempting to evade the Mexican military, retreated to an island situated between the US and Mexico.
This incident coincides with the Trump administration’s intensified efforts to deport illegal immigrants with criminal records and implement stricter border security measures.
The memo indicated that cartel leaders are increasingly concerned that a stronger US presence at the border could threaten their profits from drug and human smuggling operations.
Meanwhile, US Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) recently floated the idea of authorizing private entities to target drug cartels for financial gain.
"Congress could issue letters of marque and reprisal authorizing private security firms or specially trained civilians to intercept cartel operations, particularly those involving drug shipments or human trafficking across borders," Lee wrote on X. "Focus on disrupting supply lines, capturing high-value targets, or seizing assets like boats, vehicles, cash, gold, or equipment used in criminal activities."
