Mexican cartel opens fire at US border guards

28 January, 2025 US Border Patrol armored vehicle, January 27, 2025. Photo credits: Bill Melugin Mexican cartel militants have fired across the border at a U.S.

Border Patrol as the United States deploys troops there. Fox News reporter Bill Melugin reported on this. On Monday, January 27, a Border Patrol group was fired upon by drug cartel militants from the disputed Fronton Island on the Rio Grande River, which forms the border between Mexico and the United States.

The cartel reportedly tried to smuggle migrants across the southern border with Mexico, but the Mexican military blocked them on the opposite bank. Later, a spokesman for the Texas Department of Public Safety released footage from a reconnaissance drone sent to support the operation. The video shows a group of armed men on the island's coast shooting at border guards.

VIDEO: 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... pic.twitter.com/oPf5l7wltO -- Chris Olivarez (@LtChrisOlivarez) January 28, 2025

Meanwhile, the United States has been conducting an operation to deploy a contingent of the US Marine Corps to the border with Mexico for several days to support the Border Patrol in the fight against illegal migration. The U.S. military used V-22 Osprey convertible aircraft to deploy 500 Marines.

Along with them, the material and technical base of the units was transferred to the border area. Recently, a contingent of thousands of US troops was ordered to redeploy and deploy along the border with Mexico to strengthen the protection of the southern border.

Before that, on the day of his inauguration, US President Donald Trump ordered the military presence on America's southern border to be increased. Approximately 2,200 troops are already deployed there as part of Joint Task Force-North, a border mission of the U.S. Northern Command, headquartered in El Paso, Texas.

They help to implement the tasks of the US Customs and Border Protection.

Texas National Guard members on patrol in May 2022 in Eagle Pass, Texas. Source: Rose L. Thayer/Stars and Stripes

In addition, the National Guard contingent Operation Lonestar is reported to be deployed in the border area.

According to the Texas Military Department, about 4,500 National Guardsmen are currently involved in this mission.