Talk about unwittingly making President Donald Trump’s points for him.
One of the most important issues that Trump campaigned on – immigration – was one of the first issues that Trump attacked shortly after he was sworn in.
From designating cartels as terrorist organizations to commencing mass deportation flights, Trump is showing that he clearly means business when it comes to illegal migrants.
Now, the violent Mexican cartels have, almost humorously, proved Trump’s points with their latest violence, further underscoring why they deserve a foreign terrorist organization (FTO) label.
Apparently, border patrol agents who were merely conducting surveillance – within the United States – were suddenly fired upon by suspected cartel members.
The border patrol agents were operating in Fronton, Texas, which is part of Starr County. While Fronton borders Mexico, the town itself is within the United States.
Which means that the cartels apparently believe they can strike American officials inside and outside national borders with impunity, thanks to the prior administration.
That’s right: Some of the primary facilitators of the Biden-Harris administration’s “newcomers” fired upon U.S. Border Patrol officers inside the United States border.
Rather obviously, such attacks are deeply politicized, further proving Trump’s point regarding their terrorist activities, alongside other heinous crimes.
Lieutenant Chris Olivarez, who serves as a spokesperson with the Texas Department of Public Safety, provided a rapid update on the situation, highlighting the “transnational” nature of the cartels’ activities.
“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,” Olivarez tweeted.
“Every resource available.” Without a doubt. Especially of the federal or potentially military variety, depending on the degree to which cartels escalate threats.
Other media outlets also reported the violence, highlighting its highly “dangerous” nature.
“BREAKING – Active investigation on the Texas border in Fronton after border patrol agents were fired upon by suspected cartel members on the Mexican side attempting to cross a group of illegals, agents returned gunfire, no one was hit. Border patrol agent advised me to leave the area and says it’s still dangerous. This is a developing story will provide updates as we get them @NewsNation,” Jorge Ventura Media tweeted.
Fortunately, no one was fatally hit, as the agents managed to seek cover in heavy brush. However, such good fortune may not always persist in the future, which is precisely why Trump is removing the real root cause of the threats.
“BORTAC units from the Border Patrol arriving at the scene here in Fronton as the investigation continues after agents were fired upon by suspected cartel members,” Jorge Ventura Media noted in a separate tweet, highlighting the high degree of fluidity currently characterizing the violent situation at the border.
All of these developments, quite ironically, support Trump’s clear pronouncements in one of his more controversial excutive orders.
The executive order – “Designating Cartels and Other Organizations as Foreign Terrorist Organizations and Specially Designated Global Terrorists” – made it abundantly clear that the Trump administration considers Mexican cartels to be terrorist organizations.
“The Cartels have engaged in a campaign of violence and terror throughout the Western Hemisphere that has not only destabilized countries with significant importance for our national interests but also flooded the United States with deadly drugs, violent criminals, and vicious gangs,” the order declared.
Without a doubt. Especially given the political influence they’ve obtained throughout Mexico.
“In certain portions of Mexico, they function as quasi-governmental entities, controlling nearly all aspects of society,” Trump noted.
Absolutely. Where they undoubtedly make a killing via human trafficking schemes through the border.
Which have had devastating impacts on the United States.
“The Cartels’ activities threaten the safety of the American people, the security of the United States, and the stability of the international order in the Western Hemisphere. Their activities, proximity to, and incursions into the physical territory of the United States pose an unacceptable national security risk to the United States,” the order noted.
In other words, cartels engage in more than just sickening criminal activity – they also engage with, and likely collaborate with, terrorist organizations.
The executive order, which may be reviewed in its entirety here, illuminates several other reasons why cartels are terrorist organizations, including the following: “a national-security threat beyond that posed by traditional organized crime”; “complex adaptive systems, characteristic of entities engaged in insurgency and asymmetric warfare,”
“convergence between themselves and a range of extra-hemispheric actors, from designated foreign-terror organizations to antagonistic foreign governments”; and “infiltration into foreign governments across the Western Hemisphere.”
So, cartels decided it would be a good idea to fire on border patrol agents within the United States after that executive order. What an ill-advised plan!
Way to prove Trump’s points for him …
Author: Ofelia Thornton
