Video footage shows suspected cartel members firing multiple rounds across the border into the United States. Fox News’ Bill Melugin and his crew captured the gunfire on camera Thursday night from Roma, Texas, and said Texas National Guard soldiers stationed at the border have witnessed many cartel gunfights in the area.
Melugin witnessed the gunfire firsthand, calling it “remarkable” Friday on “America’s Newsroom.” He said National Guard members were unsure whether it was a cartel shootout or just an intimidation tactic.
National Guard soldiers told him armed cartel members have stood across the Rio Grande and taunted them multiple times in recent days.
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Melugin reported that Roma, Texas, may be the busiest spot along the U.S.-Mexico border when it comes to illegal crossings and cartel activity.
“The National Guard here has soldiers all over the place, as well as observation posts all over the place,” Melugin said. “They’re keeping an eye out for runners and human smugglers.”
Melugin saw multiple rafts carrying illegal immigrants come across the river into Texas. While the Texas National Guard was able to turn one boat back, he said they are on the lookout at all times.
“In the later night hours, we started seeing a constant stream of these rafts and these human smugglers, and they were bringing across hundreds of family units,” he said.
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“You’ll see the smugglers — they weren’t afraid. One guy was shirtless. He was laughing, making jokes to us.”
One man who crossed into the U.S. on a raft told Melugin he spent $12,000 to have himself, his wife and his child brought into the country.
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Secretary of State Blinken, DHS Secretary Mayorkas and Attorney General Garland are traveling to Mexico to discuss security issues that have developed as the crisis continues to worsen. Notably, however, Vice President Kamala Harris, who was tasked with addressing the immigration crisis by President Biden in March, is not attending the trip.
Safety is an increasing issue, as Melugin reported National Guard soldiers are unable to arrest the human smugglers when they reach the shoreline for fear of retaliation.
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“They’re worried the other smugglers will take it out on the migrants — potentially flip a raft over and it’ll turn into a rescue operation,” he said.