About 500 U.S. soldiers are being flown by Chinook helicopter onto islands in the Rio Grande in Texas after suspected cartel gunmen fired on a Coast Guard crew near Garceno on Sept. 26. Military officials say the troops are there to reinforce the border sector, and reports say they will stay at least 30 days.
The deployment was reported Friday, October 2, by U.S. Northern Command, the military command that leads the Defense Department’s border work. Garceno is a small town in Starr County, in the Rio Grande Valley. The Coast Guard says the first shots came from the Mexican side of the river and its crew fired back. A Chinook is a large twin-rotor Army helicopter that can set down troops in places boats cannot easily reach.
Report: 500 Troops Deploy to Rio Grande Valley in Texas After Drug Cartel Members Shoot at USCG Vessel: Roughly 500 troops are reportedly deploying to the Texas Rio Grande Valley after a U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) vessel was fired upon by drug cartel […]
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Story Snapshot
- Suspected cartel gunmen fired on a Coast Guard crew near Garceno, Texas, on Sept. 26. The crew returned fire.
- No injuries to Coast Guard or other personnel were reported, and no Coast Guard equipment was damaged.
- About 500 troops are being flown onto river islands. Reports say they will stay at least 30 days.
- Officials say the troops support federal agents. They do not make arrests.
What Led to the Troop Surge
The Coast Guard crew was on a joint patrol with Border Patrol, the Defense Department and the Texas Military Department. Officials have not named the gunmen. A Border Patrol union leader said he believes the shooters were a cartel, and reports describe them as suspected cartel members. The Coast Guard is investigating with its federal partners.
Joint Task Force Southern Border, the military group that supports Border Patrol on the line, said the Sept. 26 incident is an example of a rise in illegal activity in the area. Northern Command says the move is part of planned preparations for the seasonal increases in illegal crossings and smuggling it has seen in past years.
What the Troops Will Do
Northern Command says the goal is to rapidly reinforce forces in the Valley, add patrol capacity, strengthen key areas and add monitoring and detection tools. It also says the effort supports federal law enforcement partners.
A federal law called the Posse Comitatus Act limits active-duty troops from acting as police inside the United States. So soldiers can move agents and gear, watch sensors and fly aircraft, but Customs and Border Protection and the Coast Guard handle arrests and seizures.
Mexico’s Response
On Saturday, October 3, Mexico’s government said it was sending its own forces to the border. It listed 159 navy personnel, 11 vehicles and two drones. Mexican officials called the moves “mirror operations” built on respect for sovereignty, shared responsibility, mutual trust and cooperation without subordination.
Border communities want safety when armed groups fire across the river. The Coast Guard crew was not hurt, and the troops are in place on the islands.
Sources:
dailycaller.com, yahoo.com, thetexan.news, townhall.com, debate.com.mx, bloomberg.com
