Additional Coverage:
- Cartels ‘issuing bounties up to $50,000 for hits on ICE agents’ with ‘spotters on rooftops’ (themirror.com)
Drug Cartels Reportedly Offering Bounties on Federal Agents, DHS Claims
Washington D.C. – Mexican drug cartels are allegedly implementing a “tiered” bounty system, offering payments for intelligence, assaults, and even assassinations of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers, according to recent intelligence reports cited by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Just two weeks prior, the Department of Justice filed charges against a member of the Chicago-based Latin Kings gang. This individual was accused of placing a bounty on Greg Bovino, the CBP Commander overseeing critical operations in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Portland.
DHS released a statement detailing the cartels’ alleged “structured bounty program,” designed to incentivize violence against federal personnel. The reported payment structure includes $2,000 for gathering intelligence and “doxing” agents, $5,000 to $10,000 for kidnapping or non-lethal assaults on standard ICE and CBP officers, and a significant sum of up to $50,000 for the assassination of high-ranking officials.
The department further claims that gangs, including the Latin Kings, have deployed “spotters” equipped with firearms and radio communications. These individuals are reportedly tasked with providing real-time movements of CBP and ICE agents.
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem emphasized the severity of the situation in a press release. “These criminal networks are not just resisting the rule of law, they are waging an organized campaign of terror against the brave men and women who protect our borders and communities,” Noem stated.
She added, “Our agents are facing ambushes, drone surveillance, and death threats, all because they dare to enforce the laws passed by Congress. We will not back down from these threats, and every criminal, terrorist, and illegal alien will face American justice.”
These claims from DHS emerge amidst a high-profile legal battle concerning President Donald Trump’s efforts to deploy National Guard troops in Chicago and Portland. Last week, District Judge April Perry issued a temporary injunction, blocking the deployment of troops from any U.S. state into Illinois for a period of 14 days.
In her ruling, Judge Perry stated there was “no credible evidence that there is a danger of rebellion in Illinois” and insufficient evidence that the president was unable to enforce federal law with existing law enforcement personnel. She further determined that the deployment of the National Guard to Illinois “is likely to lead to civil unrest,” potentially necessitating a response from local and state law enforcement.
Referring to what she described as the “provocative nature of ICE enforcement activity” in Illinois, Judge Perry concluded, “I find allowing the National Guard to deploy will only add fuel to the fire that they started.”
A federal appeals court subsequently rejected the Department of Justice’s appeal of this ruling. However, the court did permit the federal government to retain control of the state’s National Guard troops, though it upheld the prohibition on their deployment within Illinois.