US President Donald Trump’s efforts to secure the Mexican border have led to an increase in armed conflicts between drug cartels, as they compete for a shrinking territory, according to the commander of the US Northern Command, General Gregory Guillot.
Speaking at a hearing of the US Armed Services Committee in the US House of Representatives, General Guillot stated that the number of cartel wars along the border has increased. He explained that the limited opportunities for illegal border crossing have forced some cartels to enter the territory of other cartels in their attempts to cross the border.
The cartels are now seeking “new forms of border crossing” to continue smuggling drugs and people, General Guillot said, while also praising the early results of the tightened controls, describing them as “fantastic”. However, he emphasized that the border must remain closed for a few more years to effectively combat the cycle of illegal immigration that is being observed.
Mexico has also launched a major operation, “North Border”, to combat crime along the border, with an additional 10,000 security forces involved since February 5. The operation is part of a deal between Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and her US counterpart to avoid the 25% tariffs on Mexican goods imposed by the Republican administration.
On the US side, warships, including the USS Spruance and USS Gravely, equipped with cruise missiles, are also providing increased security, while the US has boosted its deployment at the border by 6,500 security personnel. Trump views the fight against illegal migration and the fentanyl crisis in the US as a top priority, while Sheinbaum aims to reduce the smuggling of firearms to Mexico to disarm organized crime.