Cartel Problem Is ‘Spilling Over to the United States’: Texas Senator

Mexican drug cartels pose a ’significant threat' to national security and public safety, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said.

Mexican soldiers patrol in armored vehicles in Acapulco after authorities reinforced security following roadblocks and arson attacks carried out by organized crime groups in several states, in the aftermath of a military operation in which a government source said Mexican drug lord Nemesio Oseguera, known as "El Mencho," was killed in Jalisco state, in Acapulco, Mexico, on Feb. 22, 2026. Henry Romero/Reuters

The cartel problem in Mexico has spilled over into the United States, harming Americans and requiring Washington to take action on the matter, Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) said in a Feb. 23 interview with Fox News.

“[Mexicans are] very particular about their sovereignty. And I get that. But if they’re not able to take care of the problem, and it’s spilling over to the United States and killing American citizens, it’s our problem. And we need to do something about it. And fortunately, President [Donald] Trump is willing to take this fight to those cartels,” Cornyn said.

“We, under President Trump, have leaned into providing surveillance ISR to the Mexican elite forces. And now the Senate of Mexico has agreed to allow some of our special forces to go in and train theirs.” ISR, in military terms, refers to Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance.

The lawmaker said Mexico has long been controlled by the cartels, and the corruption facilitated by its government.

Many of the government officials in Mexico have been compromised, Cornyn said, with these officials getting rich and continuing to do so because of drugs, human trafficking, fuel theft, and other activities.

“You name it, they'll do anything for a buck. And these are dangerous and very violent people,” the senator said.

“But fortunately, President Trump has gotten President [Claudia] Sheinbaum to extradite I think approximately 50 different cartel members to the United States. And I’m glad to see them taking the fight to the cartels in Mexico using U.S.-facilitated intelligence,” the lawmaker said.

Cornyn said he was in communication with the State Department to ensure that they can bring Americans currently in Mexico back home safely amid the violence unleashed following the death of a major drug leader.

Nemesio Ruben Oseguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho,” the leader of the Jalisco New Generation cartel (CJNG), was killed on Feb. 22 during a Mexican government operation. CJNG is one of the most powerful and fastest-growing criminal organizations in Mexico.

There have been reports of violence across Mexico following El Mencho’s death. On Sunday, the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Mexico issued a security alert, asking Americans in Mexico to “shelter in place.”

The alert asked Americans to follow the instructions of local authorities and call 911 in case of emergencies. It recommended that they monitor local media to remain updated on the situation, and “keep family and friends advised of your location and well-being via phone, text, and social media.”

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in an X post on Sunday that the United States had provided intelligence to the Mexican government in its operation that killed El Mencho.

“The Trump Administration also commends and thanks the Mexican military for their cooperation and successful execution of this operation,” Leavitt said. President Donald Trump wants narcoterrorists sending deadly drugs into the United States to “face the wrath of justice they have long deserved.”

Cartel Threat

The U.S. Department of State said it was offering a reward of up to $15 million for information leading to the arrest or conviction of El Mencho.

Since 2017, the drug leader has been indicted several times in a Columbia district court. In 2022, he was charged with conspiracy and distribution of a controlled substance for purposes of unlawful importation into the United States, according to the department.

CJNG “has been assessed to have the highest cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine trafficking capacity in Mexico, and over the past few years, includes the trafficking of fentanyl into the United States,” the department said.

CJNG and other Mexican cartels were designated as foreign terrorist organizations last year by the Trump administration. The group has attacked Mexican police and military, and conducted assassinations of local officials, the State Department said while announcing the cartel as a terror group.

On Sunday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott urged the state’s citizens who are in Mexico to closely follow warnings from the State Department amid the security operations, related road blockades, and criminal activity in Mexico, according to a Feb. 22 statement from the governor’s office.

In a Feb. 23 statement, Abbott’s office announced that the governor has directed the Texas Department of Public Safety to boost public safety and homeland security operations across the state in response to the rising cartel violence in Mexico.

“Mexican drug cartels pose a significant threat to public safety and national security,” Abbott said.

“By increasing proactive efforts to defend against cartel violence, Texas will continue to utilize every tool and strategy to protect our state and our nation. We will not cower to criminals who impose terror on our fellow Texans and Americans.”