Texas Rangers’ Raid on Fronton Island: A Bold Move or a Reckless Gamble?
On September 7, 2023, a heavily armed force of Texas Rangers, Texas Department of Public Safety agents, and Mexican federal police launched a daring raid on Fronton Island, a 170-acre island in the Rio Grande River that was controlled by Mexican cartels and used for smuggling drugs, weapons, and people into the US. The raid was part of Operation Lone Star, a Texas state mission to curb the border crisis and cartel activity, initiated by Governor Greg Abbott in response to the Biden administration’s immigration policies. The raid was successful and no shots were fired or casualties reported, but it also sparked controversy and criticism from various quarters. Was the raid a bold move to secure the border and protect the citizens, or a reckless gamble that risked an international incident and violated the law?
The background and context of the raid
Fronton Island has a long and complicated history. It was formed in 1926 when the Rio Grande cut a new channel to the south, which became the main channel by 1955. As of 1959, Fronton Island was acknowledged as Mexican territory by both the Mexico and US sections of the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC), as the channel that formed the island had cut into Mexican territory to the south. However, in 1976, the IBWC delineated the international border to the south under the terms of the Boundary Treaty of 1970, placing the island under American jurisdiction. Since then, the island remained a legal gray area and a no-man’s land for law enforcement, as neither the US nor Mexico claimed or patrolled it effectively.
The island also became a contested territory between two rival cartels, the Gulf Cartel and the Cartel del Noreste (CDN), who used it as a safe haven, a lookout point, and a stash site for their illicit activities. The island was also a hotspot for violence, as cartel members frequently fired at US agents and civilians, and left bodies, explosives, and contraband on the island. In 2023, Fronton Island became a hotspot of human trafficking and drug smuggling, as the cartels exploited the border crisis and the overwhelmed Border Patrol agents to move their products and people across the river. On September 7, Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham determined that the land was state property and granted the Texas Ranger Division permission to patrol the island as part of Operation Lone Star.
The preparation and execution of the raid
The raid on Fronton Island was a highly coordinated and planned operation that involved dozens of Texas Rangers, Texas Department of Public Safety agents, and Mexican federal police, who worked together with drones, bomb squads, and medical teams. The raid followed strict rules of engagement to avoid any international incident or legal repercussion, as the island was technically US soil but close to the Mexican border. The raid targeted several buildings on the island that were marked with cartel symbols and used as sniper nests, where the cartel members could fire at the US side of the river. The raid was successful and no shots were fired or casualties reported, as the cartel members fled the island before the raid or surrendered without resistance. The raiders seized weapons, drugs, cash, and other evidence from the island, and destroyed the buildings and the vegetation that provided cover for the cartels.
The aftermath and implications of the raid
The raid on Fronton Island was followed by a National Guard operation to clear the island of vegetation and lay down razor wire to block any access from Mexico, effectively turning the island into a fortified outpost for Texas. The raid was also followed by more cartel activity and patrols on the border, indicating that the fight was not over and that the cartels were not deterred by the raid. The raid was part of a larger strategy and conflict between Texas and the federal government over the border security and migration policy, as Governor Abbott accused President Biden of failing to secure the border and enforce the law, and President Biden accused Governor Abbott of undermining the federal authority and violating the human rights of the migrants. The raid raised legal and political questions about the authority and jurisdiction of state and federal agencies on the border, as well as the role and responsibility of Mexico in the border security and cooperation.
My opinion
In my opinion, the raid on Fronton Island was a bold move that demonstrated the determination and capability of Texas to secure the border and protect the citizens from the cartel threat. This was also a necessary move that addressed a long-standing problem that neither the US nor Mexico had resolved for decades. It was not a reckless gamble that risked an international incident and violated the law, as the raiders followed the rules of engagement and respected the sovereignty of both countries. It was also not a violation of the human rights of the migrants, as the raiders did not target or harm any migrants, but only the cartel members who exploited and endangered them. The raid was a legitimate and lawful exercise of the state’s power and duty to defend its territory and people from the criminal organizations that operate with impunity on the border.
However, this action on Fronton Island was not a solution to the border crisis and the cartel activity, but only a temporary and partial measure that addressed one aspect of a complex and multifaceted problem. It did not stop the flow of drugs, weapons, and people across the border, nor did it eliminate the root causes of the migration and the violence. It also did not resolve the tension and the disagreement between Texas and the federal government over the border security and migration policy, nor did it improve the cooperation and the communication between the US and Mexico on the border issues. The raid was a symbolic and tactical move that highlighted the need and the challenge for a comprehensive and strategic approach to the border security and immigration policy that involves all the stakeholders and respects all the interests and rights involved.
