U.S. Claims Mexican Cartels Offering Rewards for Attacks on Federal Agents
WASHINGTON – The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) alleges that Mexican criminal organizations are offering financial rewards for attacks, kidnappings, or killings of U.S. federal agents, escalating tensions amid heightened border security measures and increased deployments of federal forces.
Secretary Kristi Noem stated in an official release,”These criminal networks are not only resisting the rule of law,but they are carrying out an organized campaign of terror against the brave men and women who protect our borders and communities.” Noem further claimed that agents are facing “ambushes, drone surveillance, and death threats” for enforcing U.S. law, vowing, “We will not give in to these threats, and all criminals, terrorists, and illegal aliens will face American justice.”
The DHS accusations link migrants, their advocates – including “sanctuary cities” – and Latin American drug cartels, groups that the Trump Governance has increasingly targeted. The administration has substantially increased resources dedicated to immigration enforcement, recruiting thousands of agents for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from agencies like the DEA and FBI. National Guard troops have been deployed to cities like Chicago and Portland, presented as peacekeeping forces.
The administration has also categorized drug cartels as terrorist groups, legally enabling potential direct action against them, including the recent sinking of alleged drug boats off the Venezuelan coast.
While DHS claims there is no clear evidence of an organized entity coordinating these threats, the accusations echo previous instances where unsubstantiated government claims preceded military action, such as the deployment of the National Guard to Portland following allegations of Antifa-led riots – a mobilization later blocked by two judges. The potential consequences of this new escalation remain unclear.
