Criminal cartels are offering $10,000 payments to individuals who shoot at U.S. Border Patrol agents on the southern border. The warning comes from an internal federal memo. The alert was first reported by NewsNation, which obtained a copy of the communication.
The memo says Border Patrol’s Rio Grande Valley Sector received information about “a coordinated attack.” Cartels are reportedly promising cash rewards to shooters who target agents.
According to NewsNation, the memo also warns that attackers may disguise themselves in Mexican military uniforms. The uniforms could help them avoid suspicion while carrying long rifles or machine guns.
Federal authorities say the threat is centered on the Rio Grande Valley Sector in southeast Texas. However, they believe it reflects growing cartel frustration that could spread across the entire southwest border. The memo says the plot is believed to have originated in northern Sonora, Mexico.
Sources told NewsNation that agents in Brownsville and Kingsville were the first intended targets. The Rio Grande Valley Sector covers more than 34,000 square miles. It includes nine Border Patrol stations.
Newsmax also reported on the memo and shared similar details. The outlet confirmed that assailants may wear Mexican military gear to blend in while carrying out attacks. The memo instructs agents to stay alert and increase awareness of their surroundings during operations.
This is not the first time cartels have tried to reward violence against U.S. immigration authorities.
Earlier this month, the Department of Homeland Security announced that Mexican drug cartels created a tiered bounty system. The system offered cash for doxxing, assaulting, and kidnapping Border Patrol and ICE agents. DHS said assassinations of high-ranking officials could earn up to $50,000.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said cartels are escalating their tactics. She said agents are facing ambushes, drone surveillance, and death threats. According to Newsmax, she described it as an “organized campaign of terror” against those who enforce U.S. law.
Federal authorities say they will not back down from the threats. They say criminals, terrorists, and illegal aliens will face consequences under American justice.