The chief of the U.S. Border Patrol has issued a stark warning to Mexican drug cartels, citing the increasing threat of drone warfare between rival criminal groups. Mike Banks, the Border Patrol chief, emphasized the agency’s preparedness in dealing with such violence.
“We have seen cartel-on-cartel violence that involves drones. We prepare and train to be ready to fight the enemy on any ground,” Banks said during a recent media appearance. “We’re impacting the cartels’ ability to make billions of dollars.”
Cartels have intensified their conflicts over control of trafficking routes and territory, heightening concerns about potential spillover violence into the United States. In response, President Donald J. Trump designated multiple Mexican and Central and South American cartels and gangs as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs).
The presence of drones at the border, such as a DJI Mavic 3 observed near Yuma, Arizona, highlights the sophisticated methods cartels use. Banks highlighted an increased risk of violence crossing the border, with multiple incidents and drone infiltrations noted. While agents are encountering only around 250 individuals daily—a figure significantly down under Trump from the thousands of daily encounters that occurred under former President Joe Biden—there remains a significant watchfulness for cartel operations.
Recent months have seen alarming cartel actions in the southern border region, including American fatalities from improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and shootouts with border agents. In one incident, suspected cartel members retreated to Fronton Island after engaging U.S. agents.
Some lawmakers want stronger measures against the cartels. Meanwhile, President Trump has hinted at potential military interventions in Mexico to dismantle drug operations.
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