Mexican Cartels Ordered To Shoot at U.S. Border Patrol Agents

Cartel Border Wars Escalate: Mexican drug Cartels now have Direct Orders to Fire on American Border Agents.

Recent intelligence from the FBI, shared in an internal memo obtained by NewsNation, indicates that leaders of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) — one of Mexico’s most powerful and violent drug trafficking organizations — have issued direct orders to their members to shoot at U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents, including Border Patrol personnel, from across the border. This directive reportedly applies particularly in areas like the San Diego Sector, where agents have been advised to exercise heightened vigilance.

The orders appear to stem from escalating tensions, including incidents where Border Patrol actions disrupted cartel smuggling operations, prompting retaliation threats. Such commands mark a dangerous shift, as cartels have historically avoided direct confrontations with U.S. federal agents to prevent severe repercussions, but increasing pressure on their cross-border activities has led to bolder aggression, including prior reports of incentives like cash payments for attacks.

This development builds on a pattern of rising violence along the U.S.-Mexico border, where cartels like the CJNG and Sinaloa have previously authorized or incentivized shootings at agents, sometimes offering bounties ranging from thousands to tens of thousands of dollars for assaults or killings. In late 2025, similar alerts circulated about coordinated attacks and payments up to $10,000 for firing at Border Patrol in sectors like the Rio Grande Valley. The current CJNG directive, coming amid ongoing infighting with rivals and intensified U.S. enforcement efforts, heightens risks for agents patrolling remote border areas. Law enforcement sources emphasize that these threats must be taken seriously, as they reflect cartels’ desperation to protect lucrative smuggling routes for drugs, migrants, and other contraband in the face of mounting operational challenges.