The southern border is a dangerous place. And that danger is only getting deeper into the country.
Now all hell broke loose after the cartels put a hit out on these U.S. employees.
Cartel-Funded Bounties on Federal Agents
Homeland Security announced Tuesday that Mexican cartels are responsible for at least a portion of the bounties offered for details or strikes against ICE and CBP staff, based on reliable intelligence.
Rewards include $2,000 for tips or images, $5,000 to $10,000 for abductions or attacks, and up to $50,000 for k*lling senior officials, according to the department.
Criminal gangs with strong migrant ties deploy spotters to surveil immigration officers in hubs like Chicago, amid heightened deportation drives by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection.
These observers have “enabled ambushes” on agents and amplified interruptions from demonstrators, the department reported.
“These criminal networks are not just resisting the rule of law; they are waging an organized campaign of terror against the brave men and women who protect our borders and communities,” said DHS Secretary Kristi Noem.
Alliances and Public Safety Measures
The agency indicated that cartels are working “in coordination” with “domestic extremist groups” to intensify these efforts. To combat the spotters, DHS encouraged citizens to report sightings via an ICE tip line.
Concerns from Trump-era officials about cartel threats to ICE have prompted protective steps, such as agents using masks during arrests in neighborhoods.
Critics from anti-ICE circles have rallied against the agency, labeling it a “secret police” and using online platforms to reveal officers’ identities and operations.
Earlier this month, Homeland Security persuaded Apple to remove one such app for endangering personnel.
The perpetrator who fatally shot two migrants at a Dallas ICE center last month had utilized an ICE monitoring app.
Homeland Security disclosed last week a targeted bounty on Gregory Bovino, a key CBP figure who led Los Angeles’ enforcement wave this summer and now manages Chicago’s. Juan Espinoza-Martines, a migrant affiliated with the Latin Kings gang, was identified as distributing the $10,000 incentive to “take him down.”
Border Surveillance Tactics and Legislative Responses
Cartel spotters have been integral to border smuggling for years, stationed on hills flanking the line to monitor CBP activities, aiding drug infiltrations and timing lighter checkpoint inspections.
A Washington Times exploration of deserted spotter outposts in Arizona revealed leftover supplies indicating extended occupations.
Republicans in Congress are drafting measures to increase penalties for disseminating law enforcement location data at the border.
