U.S. Border Patrol agents exchanged gunfire with suspected cartel members near the U.S.-Mexican border on Monday, just one week after President Donald Trump began ramping up border security on his first day in office. The incident occurred at around 2 p.m. local time near Fronton, Texas, where a group of illegal aliens was attempting to cross the Rio Grande while bullets were fired. Neither the Border Patrol agents nor the suspected cartel members were hit.
The area where the gunfire exchange took place is near Fronton Island, also unofficially known as “Cartel Island” due to the criminal activity there. In 2023, Texas Commissioner Dawn Buckingham declared the land as Texas territory, granting law enforcement the right to patrol the area.
Last week, a Fox News Digital exclusive found that a sharp drop in illegal immigrant encounters occurred in the first days of the Trump administration, with 35% fewer encounters than the final three days of the Biden administration. The Department of Homeland Security reported 1,288 encounters nationwide on January 17, 1,266 on January 18, and 1,354 on January 19.
President Trump recently designated Mexican drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, and his administration has emphasized the importance of enforcing immigration laws to ensure national security and public safety. The President has also stated that the American people deserve a government that prioritizes their interests and understands its obligation to prioritize their safety, security, and financial and economic well-being.
