
A surge in cartel-related violence has led the U.S. consulate to issue an urgent advisory warning Americans to stay away from Tamaulipas, Mexico. The area, which sits just across from McAllen, Texas, has become increasingly dangerous, with reports of gunfights, abductions and roadside explosives prompting a “Level 4: Do Not Travel” classification.
The situation is not limited to Mexico. In California, a hiker was shot when suspected cartel operatives opened fire on a group near the Moon Valley Trailhead in the Jacumba Mountains. The injured hiker was evacuated by helicopter, while the attackers vanished back into Mexico, using unsecured sections of the border to escape.
While the US accelerates deportations of people into Mexico's violent border state of Tamaulipas, the US consulate in Matamoros issues a travel warning, citing "increasingly frequent gun battles" and Iraq war-style "improvised explosive devices."https://t.co/DN2ehAQeh4 pic.twitter.com/bj2YFAkQSR
— Adam Isacson (@adam_wola) January 28, 2025
Texas is also seeing direct confrontations with cartel forces. A shootout with cartel members broke out in Fronton after Border Patrol agents were fired upon from across the Rio Grande. The agents returned fire, but the attack demonstrates how cartels are now openly challenging U.S. law enforcement.
The U.S. State Department has issued the highest-level travel warning for some Mexican towns next to the U.S.–Mexico border due to elevated risks over kidnappings, gun battles, and improvised explosives devices (IEDs).
A bulletin released by the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in…
— The Epoch Times (@EpochTimes) January 28, 2025
Explosive devices have been discovered in Tamaulipas, leading to new warnings urging residents and travelers to avoid touching suspicious objects. Cartel tactics have evolved into full-scale terror operations, using weapons and explosives to maintain control over key territories.
We need to get all our people out of Mexico and start moving personnel and gear down to the border in prep for war.
Time to stop playing!US consulate warns of gun battles, IEDs, kidnappings in Mexican border towns near Texashttps://t.co/djaEJBmJWx
— 🍊Big Maga Dave🍊 (@daverich503) January 28, 2025
Mexico itself is growing more unstable, with a shocking number of political assassinations occurring during the last election season. Cartels have solidified their grip on power, eliminating opposition figures who threaten their hold over drug trafficking and smuggling networks. With violence now shaping the country’s political landscape, concerns are growing that Mexico’s government is no longer in control.
🚨Alert: War with Mexican Cartels is Coming!! United States Consulate General in Matamoros has issued Level 4 Alert – Do Not Travel in the following locations: Reynosa, Rio Bravo, Valle Hermoso, San Fernando, Tamaulipas, Mexico” @USCGMatamoros
The report also highlights… pic.twitter.com/VR7w6zhc9A
— US Homeland Security News (@defense_civil25) January 28, 2025
With cartel operations spilling into the U.S. and Mexico’s leadership appearing unable or unwilling to stop them, pressure is mounting for a stronger response. As border towns turn into battlegrounds, the impact on American lives is becoming impossible to ignore.