US Issues ‘Do Not Travel’ Warning for Several US–Mexico Border Areas

A U.S. flag at a U.S. Embassy building in a file photo. Adek Berry/AFP via Getty Images

The U.S. State Department has issued the highest-level travel warning for some Mexican towns next to the U.S.–Mexico border because of elevated risks over kidnappings, gun battles, and improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

A bulletin released by the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Mexico stated that a “Level 4 - Do Not Travel” advisory has been issued for parts of Tamaulipas state. It cites Reynosa, Rio Bravo, Valle Hermoso, and San Fernando as places where IEDs have been found. The area borders the Rio Grande Valley in Texas.

The warning also confirmed that officials are “aware of increasingly frequent gun battles occurring in and around Reynosa in the late night and early morning hours.”

“An IED destroyed a Government of Mexico (Conagua) official vehicle in Rio Bravo and injured its occupant on January 23,” the statement reads. As a result, U.S. government officials were ordered to avoid travel near Rio Bravo and Reynosa outside of daytime and to stay away from dirt roads across Tamaulipas state, which shares a lengthy border with southern Texas.

The entirety of Tamaulipas is under a “Level 4” travel warning because of kidnappings and crime, according to the bulletin, which was released on the evening of Jan. 27.

“Organized crime activity—including gun battles, murder, armed robbery, carjacking, kidnapping, forced disappearances, extortion, and sexual assault—is common along the northern border and in Ciudad Victoria,” the bulletin states.

U.S. citizens traveling in the state are advised to avoid dirt roads and stay on paved roads. They should avoid touching unknown objects near roads, plan their travel during daytime hours, and check local media for updates. They are also advised to be aware of their surroundings and to inform friends or family of their safety.

The State Department notice did not elaborate on whether the gun battles were occurring between Mexican criminal organizations or those groups and the Mexican government.

While the State Department has not issued a Level 4 travel advisory for all of Mexico, several states and regions are under that designation, according to a map provided by the agency.

These include the states of Colima, Guerrero, Michoacán, Sinaloa, and Zacatecas. The Level 4 advisories cite crime or both crime and kidnappings.

Several other states, such as Baja California, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Morelos, and Sonora state, are under “Level 3 - Reconsider Travel” designations, while the majority of other states in Mexico are under “Level 2 - Exercise Increased Caution.”

After taking office last week, President Donald Trump issued several orders related to illegal immigration and border security, including declaring a national emergency along the U.S.–Mexico border and deploying more troops.

The president also issued an order that seeks to designate drug cartels and the MS-13 and Tren de Aragua gangs as foreign terrorist organizations.

The designation in Tamaulipas comes as the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) confirmed on Jan. 27 that Texas authorities aided U.S. Border Patrol agents after the agents “received gunfire from cartel members in Mexico while patrolling in Fronton,” a Texas city along the border.

Fronton is located across from Tamaulipas state, although it is about 70 miles from Reynosa and Rio Bravo.

“The State of Texas will continue to monitor the area closely [and] use every resource available to prevent transnational threats to our law enforcement partners [and] the homeland,” DPS spokesman Chris Olivarez said.