Puerto Vallarta (PVDN) – In a recent executive order, US President Joe Biden has authorized the deployment of military forces along various points of the US-Mexico border to bolster efforts against drug trafficking. This action is in response to the national emergency declaration from December 2021, which addressed the detrimental effects of drug trafficking on US security, foreign policy, and the economy.
The order grants “additional authority” to Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, allowing them to call upon active duty reserve members from the Army, Navy, and Air Force. The involvement of military agents along the border will be under the complete discretion of the Secretaries of Defense and National Security.
This executive order aims to ensure that the Department of Defense can continue supporting the Department of Homeland Security in their efforts to combat international drug trafficking along the Southwest border. The specific number of deployed troops and their roles will be determined by the aforementioned officials.
Focusing on the southwestern border is no accident, as it shares a boundary with Mexican states such as Chihuahua, Sonora, and Baja California, which house numerous drug transfer points. For instance, Nogales, Arizona – which connects with Sonora – witnessed the seizure of over 1.3 million fentanyl pills from Mexico within 48 hours in early April 2023.
This seizure, along with those in March, has positioned Nogales as a significant hotspot for the flow of synthetic opioids. Documents from Mexico’s Ministry of National Defense (Sedena) indicate that Nogales is one of the main entry points for Mexican drug cartels.
Other cities like Tijuana and Mexicali, bordering California, are also crucial to the operations of criminal organizations, as many drug transfers take place there. Additionally, Sonora authorities acknowledged in March 2023 that the Querobabi Military Checkpoint has recorded the largest seizures of fentanyl and weapons in Mexico. Between November and December 2022 alone, 220,000 fentanyl pills and 10 kilograms of “pure drug” were seized at military checkpoints in Querobabi and Sonoyta.
Biden’s decision to deploy the military to the border comes amid a debate initiated by some Republican congress members who propose classifying groups like the Sinaloa Cartel and Jalisco Nueva Generación Cartel (CJNG) as terrorist organizations. This classification would authorize the US government to utilize the Armed Forces in direct combat against these criminal entities.
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