(NewsNation) — Although illegal border crossings have plummeted, Border Patrol Chief Mike Banks is still sounding the alarm on threats imposed by drug cartels.
In recent weeks, for instance, there has been a trend of cartels planting improvised explosive devices near the border. Last month, authorities said a 74-year-old Texas rancher and one other man were killed because of one of these IEDs near Brownsville, Texas. Another woman was injured.
Banks, who was named Border Patrol chief in January, told NewsNation that taking on cartels is a top priority and that officials are not going to hold back if they come face-to-face with members.
In an interview, Banks said the threat of violence spilling over into the United States from cartels along the southern border is very real. Memos have been sent out to border agents warning them of possible attacks. There have been two shootouts at the border since President Donald Trump took office in January.
There have also been drone incursions from the south side of the border by groups that have now been designated as terrorist organizations.
However, Banks says they have the technology available to counter these drones and are currently deploying more of it.
“We have seen cartel-on-cartel violence that involves drones. We prepare and train to be ready to fight the enemy on any ground,” Banks said. “We’re impacting the cartels’ ability to make billions of dollars.”
Banks said the Border Patrol is not going to surrender.
“We will get operational control of the United States border, absolutely,” he said.
Right now, across the southern border, agents are averaging 250 encounters each day. Encounters have gone down more than 95% under the Trump administration.
Still, Banks says they want to end those encounters that are still happening as well as border crossings.