In a recent string of events highlighting the continued threat posed by Mexican cartels, concerns over the security of America's southern border have been reignited. Two months ago, Milenio, a prominent Mexican TV channel, released shocking footage of a cartel member brandishing a "military-grade grenade launcher" in Matamoros, a city situated in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas, just across the border from Brownsville, Texas. The video served as a chilling reminder of the brazen power wielded by these criminal organizations.
Adding to these concerns, Fox News border correspondent Bill Melugin has now obtained images that further underscore the audacity of these cartels. The images depict heavily armed cartel members donned in body armor crossing into Texas over the weekend. The incident took place in the Fronton, TX area, located in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV). According to a reliable law enforcement source, these suspected cartel gunmen, armed with rifles and body armor, were caught on surveillance cameras illicitly infiltrating the US territory on Saturday night.
Promptly responding to this alarming development, a tactical unit operating under the Border Patrol Tactical Unit (BORTAC) was dispatched to the Fronton region. Despite the immediate deployment of Border Patrol BORTAC agents and an exhaustive search of the area, no individuals were discovered.
The timing of this incident is particularly concerning given the ongoing efforts by the Biden administration to downplay the crisis at the southern border, especially as the 2024 presidential election cycle approaches. Mark Morgan, the Acting Commissioner of Customs and Border Protection, has explicitly pointed out that the administration is employing diversion tactics to shift the spotlight. He emphasized that this approach is diverting attention from the substantial rise in nationwide encounters with migrants, a matter that deserves equal attention.
The gravity of the situation has not escaped experts in the field. Todd Bensman of the Center for Immigration Studies issued a warning during a recent Congressional testimony. Bensman highlighted that the influx of migrants, combined with potential infiltration by cartel members, could pose a significant burden on American communities and even transform their dynamics without appropriate public input.
The revelations of cartel members brandishing heavy weaponry and their audacious crossings into the US have undoubtedly cast a shadow over the stability of the southern border under the Biden administration. As these incidents continue to surface, questions regarding the effectiveness of border security measures and the ability of the administration to address the issue loom larger than ever.