A previously-deported illegal immigrant allegedly ran a $13 million drug money laundering operation through his Oregon barber shop and Mexican grocery stores.
The Department of Justice <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-or/pr/mexican-national-unlawfully-residing-united-states-accused-laundering-millions-dollars">charged</a> Mexican illegal immigrant Jose Alonso Paramo Arguello, 45, on March 18 with money laundering. Arguello used his Mexican grocery stores in Oregon, Tienda Santa Maria II and Tienda Santa Maria, along with his Paramo&#8217;s Barber Shop in the state, to transfer the drug funds to Mexico by sending wire transfers of $500 or more, which is a common tactic of drug traffickers, according to the U.S. Attorney&#8217;s Office in Oregon.
Arguello allegedly wired more than $7 million to locations in Mexico that are tied to narcotrafficking, according to the U.S. Attorney&#8217;s Office.
He was voluntarily removed to Mexico in 2003 after sneaking across the border illegally, the Department of Homeland Security told The Daily Wire. He later returned at an unknown time without getting caught.
&#8220;He was issued a voluntary return in 2003 and chose to commit a felony by illegally reentering the United States,” said a DHS spokesperson.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement has since lodged a detainer with the U.S. Marshals Service to ensure he&#8217;s &#8220;never&#8221; released, the spokesperson said.
“Under President Trump and Secretary Mullin, we will not allow drug traffickers to profit off killing our children and grandchildren,&#8221; the spokesperson added.
Arguello was caught by a government informant, who told the Mexican national he was a drug dealer, to which he responded: “You sell whatever you want, you’re a merchant, period.”
The illegal immigrant allegedly laundered more than $45,000 in what he believed were drug trafficking profits provided by the informant. He sent 22 wire transfers between November 2025 and January 2026 as part of the deal, prosecutors said.
As part of the deal, Arguello allegedly received a 10% commission for his laundering services, which he referred to as a bribe.
A lawyer representing the federal government argued that Arguello was a flight risk and a danger to the public, <a href="https://kobi5.com/news/rogue-valley-man-accused-of-money-laundering-appears-in-court-302467/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to NBC5. The attorney also said there was evidence that the illegal immigrant would try to flee to one of his properties in Mexico if he were to be set free.
He also described Arguello as a &#8220;critical cog&#8221; merging the domestic drug trade with that of the cartels in Mexico.
On the other hand, Arguello&#8217;s legal defense argued that he should be released due to his strong ties to the community and a lack of any past criminal record, NBC5 reported.

Untitled design – 2026-03-25T134547.045

Feds Say Previously-Deported Illegal Became Key Link In Cartel Cash Pipeline, How He Did It

Cartels

drug trafficking

Mexico

When I was in college, I passed the César Chávez statue every day on my walk to class at the University of Texas. Now, César Chávez is the name of the road I take to work. 
For years, Chávez was presented as the figurehead for Mexican Americans, a symbol we were expected to revere. But he represented a collectivist ideology that perpetuated ethnic tribalism. After the New York Times broke the story of his sexual abuse of young girls, this false idol is finally toppling. My only hope is that he is not replaced by another.
Chávez has long been celebrated as a symbol of the Civil Rights era and as a champion of labor unions in America. He co-founded the United Farm Workers (UFW) union to fight for better conditions for migrant laborers. But in truth, he exploited the very people he claimed to protect, while tying Mexican Americans to socialist ideology. He carefully crafted a public image as a family man devoted to Catholic social teaching, but the reality was much darker.
Chávez’s philosophy echoes Marxist rhetoric about the proletariat and the bourgeoisie. At a UFW convention in 1981, Chávez <a href="https://reason.com/2013/07/30/harvest-of-power/#:~:text=Some%20of%20these%20features%20include:%20*%20the,under%20the%20ALRA%20subject%20to%20ALRB%20regulations.">proclaimed:</a> 
<blockquote>I would not take one cup of coffee from a grower [farmer]… There&#8217;s not a good one. I hate them. A few presents, a little talk, then the noose. That’s how capitalism works.</blockquote>
It isn’t just his rhetoric that sounds alarm bells. Early in his career, he worked with Saul Alinsky (the community organizer who defined the modern leftist playbook in “Rules for Radicals”). Chávez and the UFW later implemented Alinsky’s tactics, fostering confrontational, divisive organizing.
Then, there is the recent revelation of his <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/left-wing-icon-accused-of-serially-sexually-abusing-young-girls?author=Nathan+Gay&amp;category=undefined&amp;elementPosition=15&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=Left-Wing+Icon+Accused+Of+Serially+Sexually+Abusing+Young+Girls">extensive sexual abuse</a> of minors. The behavior is not distinct from other far-Left figures. From Josef Stalin to Mao to Kim Jong-il, communist and socialist leaders often share a troubling connection to sexual predation. We should not be surprised that evil ideology attracts evil people.
If the warning signs around Chávez have existed for decades, why did he become the face of an entire ethnicity in America? Partly, because he was effective at mobilizing Mexican Americans in California, using rhetoric that created a lasting “us vs. them” mentality. But how did that ideology extend to Texas?
Chávez never belonged in Tejano heritage the same way he does in Chicano culture. The Chicano culture and movement are a direct outgrowth of the California Hispanic labor movement in the ‘60s and ‘70s. On the other hand, the Tejano culture traces back to the Mexican settlers of Texas prior to Texas Independence and is a component of what created the Texas identity. 
That history is also tied to farming and a cowboy ethos that is incompatible with Chávez’s ideology. Texas agriculture thrived because of ranchers like my ancestors, who embraced a free-market approach, not because of unions or collectivist movements.
Before the New York Times exposé, one could argue that Chávez fought for Mexican Americans and deserved gratitude. Yet his legacy has encouraged a troubling mindset: To be loyal to one’s Hispanic heritage, one must embrace left-wing ideology. On campus, I was often labeled a “race traitor” at conservative events, accused of “wanting white approval,” or dismissed as “too white-passing” to comment on border and immigration issues.
The type of tribalism promoted by Chávez is just like any other kind of identity politics, limiting and stereotyping the people it is intended to empower. In a political climate in which Texas Hispanics are considering Republicans on the ballot, it is clear why the Left is feeling threatened.
So why is a street in Austin named after César Chávez? Why did his statue watch me as I walked to class? The answer is clear: ethnic tokenism. It was fitting for Bill Clinton to award him a Presidential Medal of Freedom and for Joe Biden to display his bust in the Oval Office. Chávez represents the Hispanic worker the political Left wishes we all were: obedient to a union boss and beholden to collectivist ideology.
The UFW announced it will not be celebrating César Chávez Day this year amid the allegations. The idol all Hispanics were once expected to adore is finally falling from his pedestal. My hope is that we do not replace him with another.
* * *
Ariana Guajardo is the Video Production Manager at the Texas Public Policy Foundation. She is the creator and host of &#8220;The Sweet Tea Series&#8221; and co-host of &#8220;The Hard Country,&#8221; where she and Joshua Treviño examine the history and modern tensions shaping U.S.–Mexico relations.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

United Farmer Workers Union Distances Itself From Founder Cesar Chavez After “Troubling Allegations”

The Left Hid César Chávez’s Rapes And Turned Him Into A Saint

The Left Hid César Chávez's Rapes And Turned Him Into A Saint

California

Civil Rights

Farming

Hispanics

Labor Unions

Leftists

Opinion

Rape

Texas

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested an illegal alien from Mexico on Thursday convicted of first-degree murder in California, the Department of Homeland Security told The Daily Wire.
The man, Luis Padilla-Tapia, was also convicted of threatening crime with intent to terrorize and corporal injury to spouse/cohabitant in Bakersfield. Padilla-Tapia was one of the “worst of the worst” illegal aliens picked up on Thursday that the Department of Homeland Security highlighted in a release to The Daily Wire.
“Yesterday, ICE arrested criminal illegal alien murderers, pedophiles and drug traffickers,” said Deputy Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis. “These are the types of thugs our officers are arresting and removing from American neighborhoods. While sanctuary politicians demonize ICE law enforcement, our officers continue to risk their lives to arrest public safety threats. Under President Trump and Secretary Noem, we are putting the safety of American citizens FIRST.”
According to DHS, others arrested included:
<blockquote>-Benjamin Perez-Pena, an illegal alien from Mexico and registered sex offender convicted of lewd or lascivious acts with a child in Santa Ana, California.
-David Cac-Choc, an illegal alien from Guatemala convicted of indecent assault on a person less than 13 years old and endangering the welfare of children in Coatesville, Pennsylvania.
-Jhoshua Herbert Quichiz-Sagarvinaga, an illegal alien from Peru convicted of proposed sex act by communication systems with a victim under 15 years old and possession of child pornography in Leesburg, Virginia.
-Francisco Hernandez-Alonso, an illegal alien from Mexico convicted of attempted trafficking in opium or heroin in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina.</blockquote>
<div id="attachment_1051065" style="width: 2570px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1051065" class="size-full wp-image-1051065" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/MixCollage-27-Feb-2026-02-36-PM-9209.jpg" alt="" width="2560" height="1440" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/MixCollage-27-Feb-2026-02-36-PM-9209.jpg 2560w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/MixCollage-27-Feb-2026-02-36-PM-9209-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/MixCollage-27-Feb-2026-02-36-PM-9209-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/MixCollage-27-Feb-2026-02-36-PM-9209-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/MixCollage-27-Feb-2026-02-36-PM-9209-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/MixCollage-27-Feb-2026-02-36-PM-9209-2048x1152.jpg 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" />Perez-Pena/Quichiz-Sagarvinaga: DHS.</div>
Anti-ICE protests have continued to rage across the country with leftist organizers <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mexican-restaurants-and-hotel-protests-heres-how-anti-ice-protesters-are-spending-their-week?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=4&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=%E2%80%98Eat+First.+Then+Smash+The+State.%E2%80%99+Inside+The+Anti-ICE+Weeklong+Plan">currently staging</a> a “week of action” in the Twin Cities in Minnesota. These protesters have called for amnesty for all illegal aliens and for the abolition of ICE and prisons.
Documents <a href="https://defendinged.org/investigations/a-minnesota-melt-the-ice-week-of-action-includes-a-scheduled-student-walkout-and-sit-in-school-patrols-and-a-training-session-on-sanctuary-schools-facilitated-by-rank-and-file-members/">reviewed</a> by The Daily Wire show the detailed coordination and planning that goes into a week of anti-law enforcement protests collectively called “Bring the Heat! Melt the ICE!” From February 25 to March 1, anti-ICE organizers are demonstrating at the state Capitol, at hotels where federal agents are staying, and hosting training sessions at local churches.

Ice Police Law Enforcement – Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Agents

Another Example Of Why ICE Remains On The Streets As Critics Demand It Be Dismantled

Department of Homeland Security

Illegal Immigration

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

U.S.

Axl Omar Palacios was a drag show host who allegedly moonlighted as a border drug trafficker. He was just caught allegedly running a drug stash house along the Texas border last month.
Palacios was seen by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents exiting an apartment in Hidalgo, Texas, before opening the trunk of a car that had just arrived from Mexico, <a href="https://www.valleycentral.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/39/2026/02/Axl-Omar-Palacios-Johan-Eduardo-Rivas-Morales-Criminal-Complaint.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to court documents. The cosmetologist then allegedly began filling a wagon with &#8220;4-6 medium sized cardboard boxes&#8221; that he hauled into the apartment as the vehicle left.
Special Agent Mark Cruz testified during a hearing on Feb. 6 that the car had &#8220;alerts&#8221; tied to drug trafficking, according to <a href="https://www.valleycentral.com/news/local-news/cosmetologist-pleads-not-guilty-to-federal-drug-trafficking-charges/">ValleyCentral</a>. Palacios was also a &#8220;self-employed cosmetologist who hosted drag shows,&#8221; the local news outlet reported, who &#8220;frequently posted photos on Facebook that featured makeup and brightly colored wigs.&#8221;
Cruz also noted that the wagon &#8220;appeared&#8221; to be &#8220;heavy&#8221; as &#8220;it looked like&#8221; Palacios &#8220;was having difficulties pulling it back into the apartment.”
The agents then saw Palacios exiting the apartment again while &#8220;pulling the same wagon loaded with two cardboard boxes,&#8221; which were placed in a car that soon drove away, court documents allege. A sheriff&#8217;s deputy pulled the car over and began a search, finding &#8220;two brown boxes containing 40 packages&#8221; weighing over 100 pounds that &#8220;contained a white powdery substance that tested positive&#8221; for cocaine.
“We located approximately 40 packages total, between the two boxes,” Cruz said.
The driver, Johan Eduardo Rivas Morales, said he picked up drugs from Palacios &#8220;multiple times&#8221; before, receiving a payment of roughly $3,000 for each load, Cruz said.
Palacios was later observed moving the alleged cocaine-filled boxes into his sister&#8217;s apartment in the same complex, according to court documents.
Federal agents seized 77 kilograms of cocaine upon searching the apartments.
Palacios, who is an American citizen, was arrested and hit with federal drug trafficking charges.
Along with allegedly trafficking drugs, Palacios hosted drag shows just across the border in Reynosa, Mexico, <a href="https://www.valleycentral.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/39/2026/02/Axl-Omar-Palacios-Order-of-Detention.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to court documents.
Palacios regularly posted selfies wearing gaudy makeup on his Facebook page. He had worked as a cosmetologist for the last 12 years.
He allegedly admitted to transferring drugs to Johan Eduardo Rivas Morales &#8220;in the past.&#8221; He also said he received between $200 and $1,000 &#8220;depending on the quantity of narcotics transferred.&#8221;
Palacios pleaded not guilty to his charges Wednesday. If convicted, he faces ten years to life in federal prison.
“The case is very early on,” Palacios&#8217; attorney Uriel A. Guajardo said, according to ValleyCentral. “We’re going to just try to see where the evidence leads us, to then determine where it goes.”

Untitled design – 2026-02-26T095711.321

Drag Queen Moonlighted As Drug Trafficker And Ran Border Stash House, Authorities Say

Drag Show Host Accused Of Operating Border Drug Stash House

Border

MEXICO-CRIME-DRUG TRAFFICKING-OPERATION-AFTERMATH

We Live Next To A Failed Narco-State. Why Are We Still Focused On The Middle East?

Matt Walsh

Military

narco-terrorism

Southern Border

The Trump administration is keeping up the pressure on the Mexican government after assisting in the operation that killed a major drug cartel kingpin over the weekend.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Tuesday that the Trump administration is &#8220;pushing&#8221; Mexico to take stronger action to curb the flow of illicit drugs into the United States.
&#8220;We are coordinating and cooperating and pushing the Mexican government to do more to end the scourge of deadly drugs coming through our United States Southern border, which of course is now secure thanks to President Trump as well,&#8221; Leavitt said during a Fox News appearance.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PressSec</a>: &#8220;We encourage all Americans in Mexico to of course adhere to the guidance provided by the <a href="https://twitter.com/StateDept?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@StateDept</a>&#8230; and the Mexican drug cartels know not to lay a finger on a single American or they will pay severe consequences under this <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/gwbUaD5oi9">pic.twitter.com/gwbUaD5oi9</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2026293274827272418?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 24, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Leavitt said the Sunday strike that took out longtime Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) leader Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes during an operation in the southwestern town of Tapalpa, Jalisco, &#8220;would not have happened without the leadership of President Trump.&#8221;
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/show/friendly-fire?utm_campaign=dwplus&amp;utm_content=20260224_sotu_aa_desktop&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=banner" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-sk="tooltip_parent">Watch the State of the Union with The Daily Wire! Live coverage from the nation&#8217;s capital begins at 7:45 ET.</a>
&#8220;He has made it a day one priority to target and go after these vicious drug cartels that have shipped deadly poison to our country for far too long,&#8221; Leavitt said, citing President Donald Trump&#8217;s decision to designate some of Mexico&#8217;s most notorious cartels as terrorist organizations and the administration&#8217;s dozens of military strikes on drug boats in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific.
Following Sunday&#8217;s operation, cartel members set buses and cars ablaze and erected roadblocks in some of the most popular vacation spots frequented by American tourists.
The State Department <a href="https://x.com/TravelGov/status/2025636042007605353" target="_blank" rel="noopener">urged</a> American citizens to “shelter in place” if they are in the Mexican state of Jalisco — including Puerto Vallarta, Chapala, and Guadalajara — as well as in Tamaulipas, which borders Texas, parts of Michoacán, Guerrero, and Nuevo León.
American and Canadian airlines quickly canceled flights out of Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara, leaving tourists stranded.
American tourist Jim Beck, who said he has been going to Puerto Vallarta “for almost twenty years,” <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@cnn/video/7609924460602313997?q=puerto%20vallarta&amp;t=1771858884471" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> CNN that it’s the first time he’s been “actually terrified” while visiting the area.
“We saw people running down the streets, running from the flames and stuff and the fire. And we ran back to the hotel and then that’s when they got the shelter in order place and we’ve been here all day,” Beck said.
“It’s been pretty scary … all the locals being locked up and hidden with us too, there’s a few homeless people that were brought into this hotel … so that they had some place to go too. It’s been quite surreal knowing this warm, wonderful place that we come to visit a couple times a year is in lockdown and just terrifying for all the people,” he said.
Leavitt said the Trump administration is &#8220;unaware of any reports of any Americans being hurt, kidnapped, or killed,&#8221; adding, &#8220;The Mexican drug cartels know not to lay a finger on a single American or they will pay severe consequences under this president.&#8221;
The State Department has also set up &#8220;24/7 phone lines&#8221; to help Americans who are stranded in Mexico, Leavitt said.

TOPSHOT-MEXICO-CRIME-DRUG TRAFFICKING-OPERATION

Trump Sends Clear Message After Cartel Rampage Leaves Americans Stranded

Claudia Sheinbaum

Donald Trump

Drug Cartels

Executive

Karoline Leavitt

National Security

Politics

Mexican special forces take out Jalisco Cartel leader “El Mencho,” sparking violence across 20 Mexican states. President Donald Trump will deliver the annual State of the Union address on Tuesday night, and another high-profile name has been arrested in the U.K. over their connection to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
It’s Tuesday, February 24, 2026, and this is the news you need to know to start your day. Today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below:
<iframe style="width: 100%; max-width: 660px; overflow: hidden; border-radius: 10px;" src="https://embed.podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/violence-engulfs-mexico-britains-epstein-reckoning-2-24-26/id1576594336?i=1000751166888" height="175" frameborder="0" sandbox="allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation"></iframe>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Mexico Takes Out Kingpin ‘El Mencho’</h2>
With help from the United States, Mexican special forces on Sunday <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mexican-drug-lord-el-mencho-killed-in-military-operation-says-government-source">killed</a> longtime Jalisco Cartel leader Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes. 
Oseguera, with a U.S. bounty of $15 million, was regarded as one of the most notorious drug traffickers in the world. He was perhaps the most powerful drug lord in the world. This was a major step by Mexico and a big win for the United States. American authorities say groups like the Jalisco Cartel are responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands of Americans a year through the drug trade.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/show/friendly-fire?utm_campaign=dwplus&amp;utm_content=20260224_sotu_aa_desktop&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=banner" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-sk="tooltip_parent">Watch the State of the Union with The Daily Wire! Live coverage from the nation&#8217;s capital begins at 7:45 ET.</a>
Violence has exploded across the country in the aftermath. There are many Americans stranded in Mexico right now because the violence has closed down roads and airports. At least a couple of dozen Mexican National Guardsmen have been killed so far in the fighting.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">SOTU Preview</h2>
President Trump will deliver his annual State of the Union address tonight — a high-stakes moment for outlining his administration’s priorities and shaping the message Republicans will take into the 2026 midterm elections.
It’s expected to be a consequential evening, with Trump highlighting what he frames as major accomplishments in the first year of his second term and stressing policy directions he hopes will resonate with Republican voters.
Expect him to spotlight what he describes as historic gains at the southern border, touting a dramatic crackdown on illegal immigration and stepped-up deportations. He is also likely to point to diplomatic and security developments in the Middle East, including the continued tension between the United States, Israel, and Iran, as talks over Iran&#8217;s nuclear program continue in Geneva and officials caution that the risk of conflict remains high.
On trade, Trump is pressing forward. After the Supreme Court limited his earlier tariff framework, the administration implemented a 10% global tariff under separate authority, with the president saying he would prefer to raise it to 15%. The current rate remains at 10%, but Trump is expected to make the case that tougher trade measures are key to protecting American workers and reducing the trade deficit.
The president is also likely to highlight efforts to make American cities safer, reinforcing law-and-order themes that are central to his broader political narrative.
All told, tonight’s address is set to be part accomplishments report, part policy outline, and part strategic messaging designed to shape the national debate — and Republican positioning — as voters head into the midterms later this year.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Ex-Ambassador Mandelson Arrested</h2>
Former U.K. ambassador to the U.S. Peter Mandelson was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/former-british-ambassador-arrested-over-epstein-file-revelations?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Former+British+Ambassador+Arrested+Over+Epstein+File+Revelations">arrested</a> Monday over “suspicion of misconduct” in office. The charges stem from newly released Jeffrey Epstein files. 
Mandelson served under Prime Minister Keir Starmer before Starmer removed him in September 2025. The scandal erupting around Mandelson has threatened to tear apart Starmer’s government, as well as further validating concerns about Mandelson prior to his appointment, based on information in the Epstein files. The arrest comes just days after British police <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/former-prince-andrew-arrested-over-epstein-files-faces-life-in-prison">arrested</a> former Prince Andrew in connection with his ties to Epstein. 
Morning Wire spoke with GB News host Bev Turner about the latest fallout from the Epstein files. According to Turner, Mandelson could be in major trouble: “It genuinely carries a risk of life imprisonment. If you are found guilty of misconduct in public office, it&#8217;s an incredibly serious charge.”

MW_260224_V1

Morning Brief: Trump’s High-Stakes Address To Americans & Tourists Trapped In Cartel Crossfire

Keir Starmer

Morning Wire

State of the Union

United Kingdom

Some of the most popular vacation spots for American tourists have been rocked by cartel violence following the weekend killing of a top cartel leader, stranding some travelers.
Mexican special forces killed longtime Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) leader Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes during an operation in the southwestern town of Tapalpa, Jalisco, the Mexican government said.
Following the killing, cartel members set buses and cars ablaze and erected roadblocks in certain areas.
As a result, the State Department <a href="https://x.com/TravelGov/status/2025636042007605353" target="_blank" rel="noopener">urged</a> American citizens to &#8220;shelter in place&#8221; if they are in Jalisco State — including Puerto Vallarta, Chapala, and Guadalajara — as well as in Tamaulipas, which borders Texas, parts of Michoacán, Guerrero, and Nuevo León.
American and Canadian airlines quickly canceled flights out of Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara. By Monday, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said flights were expected to resume out of both cities, <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/news/2026/02/23/mexico-safe-travel-flights/88822423007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to USA Today.
Some American tourists have taken to TikTok to share their experiences while stranded during their vacations, describing hotels placed on lockdown amid nearby violence.
&#8220;Flights are canceled, we couldn&#8217;t even get to the airport. So we&#8217;re stuck here,&#8221; one woman named Kaila posted on social media from her trip in Puerto Vallarta.
<blockquote class="tiktok-embed" style="max-width: 605px; min-width: 325px;" cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@kailargibson/video/7609837137051094303" data-video-id="7609837137051094303">
<section><a title="@kailargibson" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@kailargibson?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@kailargibson</a> I wanna go home 😭 <a title="vacation" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/vacation?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#vacation</a> <a title="mexico" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/mexico?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#mexico</a> <a title="puertovallarta" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/puertovallarta?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#puertovallarta</a> <a title="♬ Atomized Language - yasuhiro soda" href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/Atomized-Language-7596970562758395920?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">♬ Atomized Language &#8211; yasuhiro soda</a></section>
</blockquote>
<script async src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script>
One American tourist, Jim Beck, who said he has been visiting Puerto Vallarta &#8220;for almost twenty years,&#8221; <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@cnn/video/7609924460602313997?q=puerto%20vallarta&amp;t=1771858884471" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> CNN that it&#8217;s the first time he&#8217;s been &#8220;actually terrified&#8221; while there.
&#8220;We saw people running down the streets, running from the flames and stuff and the fire. And we ran back to the hotel and then that&#8217;s when they got the shelter in order place and we&#8217;ve been here all day,&#8221; Beck said.
&#8220;It&#8217;s been pretty scary &#8230; all the locals being locked up and hidden with us too, there&#8217;s a few homeless people that were brought into this hotel &#8230; so that they had some place to go too. It&#8217;s been quite surreal knowing this warm, wonderful place that we come to visit a couple times a year is in lockdown and just terrifying for all the people,&#8221; he said.
<blockquote class="tiktok-embed" style="max-width: 605px; min-width: 325px;" cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@vivianharrah/video/7609905469561310478" data-video-id="7609905469561310478">
<section><a title="@vivianharrah" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@vivianharrah?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@vivianharrah</a> We have been sheltered in place all day! Stay safe out there everyone! <a title="mexico" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/mexico?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#mexico</a> <a title="puertovallarta" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/puertovallarta?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#puertovallarta</a> <a title="♬ New Sun - Chihei Hatakeyama" href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/New-Sun-6703723351497508865?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">♬ New Sun &#8211; Chihei Hatakeyama</a></section>
</blockquote>
<script async src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script>
Another tourist shared how the once-vibrant beach town appeared deserted.
&#8220;We&#8217;re locked down at the hotels. Absolutely no cars or buses on the road,&#8221; one tourist named Mikey said in a TikTok video. &#8220;There&#8217;s absolutely nobody out, the hotels are locked, nobody in or out of the resort.&#8221;
&#8220;I don&#8217;t know if we&#8217;re gonna be able to get out, but we&#8217;ll be able to keep the room if we need to stay here a few days,&#8221; he added.
<blockquote class="tiktok-embed" style="max-width: 605px; min-width: 325px;" cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@nymikeca4718/video/7609879387327958302" data-video-id="7609879387327958302">
<section><a title="@nymikeca4718" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@nymikeca4718?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@nymikeca4718</a> We’re locked in at the hotel for now. Monitoring updates and staying put. Hoping things settle down tonight and don’t escalate. Grateful we’re safe and just taking it hour by hour. Sharing real-time so anyone traveling can stay informed. <a title="puertovallartaupdate" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/puertovallartaupdate?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#PuertoVallartaUpdate</a> <a title="traveladvisory" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/traveladvisory?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#TravelAdvisory</a> <a title="staysafe" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/staysafe?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#StaySafe</a> <a title="realtimeupdate" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/realtimeupdate?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#RealTimeUpdate</a> <a title="mousai" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/mousai?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#Mousai</a> <a title="♬ original sound - Mikey C ❌" href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/original-sound-7609879427274591006?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">♬ original sound &#8211; Mikey C ❌</a></section>
</blockquote>
<script async src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script>

MEXICO-CRIME-DRUG TRAFFICKING-OPERATION

Cartel Kingpin Taken Out — Now Americans Are Caught In The Middle

Crime

Tourism

World

Americans are being asked by the State Department to remain sheltered in place in parts of Mexico due to civil unrest following the successful killing of Jalisco New Generation Cartel leader Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes on Sunday.
Cervantes was killed by the Mexican army with “complementary information” provided by the United States, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/chaos-erupts-in-mexico-after-cartel-boss-el-mencho-killed-by-special-forces?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Chaos+Erupts+In+Mexico+After+Cartel+Boss+%E2%80%98El+Mencho%E2%80%99+Killed+By+Special+Forces" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Wire</a> reported.
The State Department’s travel alert specifically notes that Americans in the Mexican states of Jalisco, Baja California, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Michoacán, Oaxaca, Nuevo León, Tamaulipas and Quintana Roo State “should shelter in place until further notice.” The states contain major tourism hubs such as Puerto Vallarta, Guadalajara, Cancún, as well as Playa del Carmen and Tulum, among other major cities.
“Due to ongoing, widespread security operations and related road blockages and criminal activity in many areas of Mexico, U.S. citizens should shelter in place until further notice,” the U.S. Department of State Consular Affairs posted to X on Sunday afternoon.
“Roadblocks have impacted airline operations, with some domestic &amp; int’l flights canceled in both Guadalajara &amp; Puerto Vallarta. Taxis/ride shares are suspended in Puerto Vallarta. Seek shelter and remain in residences or hotels,” the post added.
Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs, Mora Namdar, posted that &#8220;the Trump Administration has no higher priority than the safety and security of U.S. citizens&#8221; and to &#8220;keep family and friends advised of your location and well-being.&#8221;
She is encouraging Americans in Mexico to join the Smart Traveler Enrollment program, monitor the department&#8217;s social media and to contact the phone numbers listed on the <a href="https://mx.usembassy.gov/security-alert-update-ongoing-security-operations-u-s-mission-mexico-february-22-2026/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">security alert</a> if needed.
The security alert also recommends that Americans stay away from crowds and “areas around law enforcement activity,” check local news, and “be aware” of their environment.
The alert also noted that employees at the American consulate in Tijuana are having to shelter in place, and those who work at the consulate in Monterrey are being asked to stay in the region. The Daily Wire reported that cartel members throughout the country were setting fire to buses and even blocking roads.
Southwest Airlines issued a travel alert for Puerto Vallarta, and American and United Airlines issued alerts for Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta. Some airlines are offering options for rebooking if someone’s flight is affected by the situation. In 2024, an estimated 870,000 American &#8220;residents&#8221; traveled to Puerto Vallarta and a million visiting Guadalajara, as Mexico was considered the &#8220;largest outbound market&#8221; for Americans leaving the U.S., according to the <a href="https://www.trade.gov/feature-article/us-outbound-travelers-characteristics-2024?utm_source=chatgpt.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">International Trade Administration</a>.

Marco Rubio

Americans Asked To ‘Shelter In Place’ As Cartel-Related Violence Spills Into Mexican Tourist Hubs

Americans Asked To 'Shelter In Place' Amid Unrest In Mexico's Tourist Hubs

Drugs

Travel

Chaos swept across parts of western Mexico on Sunday following the killing of one of the country’s most feared cartel leaders in a military operation that officials say was carried out with U.S. cooperation.
Mexican special forces killed Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes, the longtime head of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), during an operation in Tapalpa, Jalisco, according to the Mexican government. Oseguera was widely regarded as one of the most powerful drug traffickers in the world.
According to the <a href="https://x.com/EmbamexEUA/status/2025664020431151423">Mexican Embassy in the United States</a>, the United States provided “complementary information” to Mexican authorities as part of bilateral coordination.
Following the operation, cartel members engaged in violent acts in parts of Jalisco, Michoacán, and Guanajuato, setting buses on fire and erecting roadblocks in multiple cities, <a href="https://x.com/PabloLemusN/status/2025589614463823889">according to</a> Jalisco Governor Pablo Lemus Navarro. In response, Lemus Navarro announced that schools throughout the state would be closed.
The U.S. State Department <a href="https://x.com/TravelGov/status/2025636042007605353">urged</a> American citizens to shelter in place if they are in Jalisco State — including Puerto Vallarta, Chapala, and Guadalajara &#8212; as well as Tamaulipas, parts of Michoacán, Guerrero, and Nuevo León.
Additional footage appeared to show fires in the parking lot of a Costco in Puerto Vallarta, a coastal city popular with American tourists that draws millions of visitors each year.
Derek Maltz, former acting administrator of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration until May, told The Daily Wire that Oseguera had long been the top cartel target for the United States.
“Obviously, El Mencho has been like public enemy number one for many years. He’s built up this global enterprise with the CJNG,” Maltz said. “We&#8217;ve been sharing intelligence against Mencho for a long time. And we share intelligence daily with our counterparts in the embassy in Mexico.”
Maltz added that the DEA, together with the Department of Homeland Security, FBI, and others are working with their Mexican counterparts “every day to go after these cartel leaders.”
Oseguera was one of Mexico’s most wanted men. The Mexican government had offered a 30 million peso reward — roughly $1.7 million — for information leading to his arrest. The United States had posted a $15 million reward, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2026/02/22/americas/mexico-kill-drug-mencho-latam-intl">reported CNN</a>.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has previously <a href="https://www.dea.gov/cartels">described</a> the cartel as among the “most powerful and ruthless criminal organizations” operating inside Mexico, calling it a key supplier of illicit fentanyl and cocaine to the United States. The DEA added that the group’s facilitators and associates operate in nearly all 50 U.S. states.
In 2022, the United States Department of Justice charged Oseguera with leading efforts to manufacture and distribute fentanyl for importation into the United States. The CJNG was later designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the Trump administration.
Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau <a href="https://x.com/DeputySecState/status/2025648742049947797">celebrated</a> the news on X.
“I’ve just been informed that Mexican security forces have killed ‘El Mencho,’ one of the bloodiest and most ruthless drug kingpins,” Landau wrote. “This is a great development for Mexico, the U.S., Latin America, and the world. The good guys are stronger than the bad guys.”
The Mexican government said various aircraft from the Air Force and the Special Immediate Reaction Force of the National Guard participated in the raid. During the operation, military personnel reportedly came under attack.
“In defense of their physical integrity, they repelled the aggression,” the embassy said. Four CJNG members were killed at the scene. Three others, severely wounded, died during an airlift to Mexico City, including Oseguera. Several additional suspects were arrested.
Authorities also seized armored vehicles and heavy weaponry, including rocket launchers capable of downing aircraft and destroying armored vehicles. Three Mexican security personnel were injured.
“From day one, President Trump and this administration has made it clear that if you’re selling drugs and moving poisonous substances into America, you’re going to be held accountable,” Maltz said. “He declared the cartels as terrorists; he’s declared fentanyl a weapon of mass destruction. So he’s doing everything to put American citizens first.”
He added that Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has been highly cooperative with the Trump administration, sending 92 high-level Mexican cartel leaders and gang leaders to America to face justice.
“That has never happened in the history of our war against the cartels,” Maltz said.

Mexican cartel leader ‘El Mencho’ killed in military operation

Chaos Erupts In Mexico After Cartel Boss ‘El Mencho’ Killed By Special Forces

Trump Administration

Mexican drug lord Nemesio Oseguera, commonly known as &#8220;El Mencho,&#8221; has been killed in a military operation, a government source familiar with the operation told Reuters on Sunday.
An ex-police officer, Oseguera was the shadowy leader of the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), an outfit that took its moniker from the western state of the same name that is home to Mexico&#8217;s second city, Guadalajara.
Over a relatively short period of time, the CJNG morphed into a continents-spanning criminal enterprise rivaling his former allies in the Sinaloa Cartel, the gang of captured kingpin Joaquin &#8216;El Chapo&#8217; Guzman, now in a U.S. prison.
The news of Oseguera&#8217;s death followed a federal security operation in the state of Jalisco&#8217;s city of Tapalpa, according to a post by governor Pablo Lemus Navarro on X.
After the operation, multiple vehicles were set on fire throughout Jalisco and other states, according to media outlets and officials.
Alfredo Ramirez Bedolla, the governor of the state of Michoacan, wrote on X that he had received reports of state highways being blocked as a result of the operation in Jalisco.
Oseguera&#8217;s death comes as the Trump administration has ratcheted up the fight against drug cartels and distributors in the western hemisphere. The United States, under Operation Southern Spear, has killed approximately 145 suspected drug runners in 42 strikes in the Pacific and Caribbean since September of 2025.
In January, the United States executed an operation to capture Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro and his wife. The operation was considered extremely successful, with zero U.S. military fatalities, according to the Trump administration. The raid also featured a weapon President Trump described as the &#8220;<a href="https://nypost.com/2026/01/24/us-news/trump-reveals-to-the-post-secret-discombobulator-weapon-was-crucial-to-venezuelan-raid-on-maduro/">discombobulator</a>,&#8221; which allegedly &#8220;made [enemy] equipment not work.&#8221; The president said he couldn&#8217;t go into further detail on the weapon.
Additionally, Oseguera&#8217;s death follows the capture of Ovidio Guzmán López, the son of infamous drug trafficker El Chapo, in 2023 by Mexican authorities. Guzmán López was eventually extradited to the United States to stand trial where he <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/joaquin-guzman-lopez-son-el-chapo-and-leader-sinaloa-cartel-pleads-guilty-federal-drug">pleaded guilty</a> to drug charges, according to the Department of Justice.
“The Sinaloa Cartel is a terrorist organization that has spent decades destroying American families through brutal violence and deadly drug trafficking,” said Attorney General Pam Bondi. “[The] guilty plea from El Chapo’s son is a major victory against the Sinaloa Cartel and underscores the Trump Administration’s historic, aggressive campaign to dismantle terrorist organizations that target the American people.”
(Reporting by Emily Green and Lizbeth Diaz; Editing by Christian Plumb)

Mexican Drug Lord ‘El Mencho’ Killed In Military Operation

Two Mexican Navy ships docked in Cuba on Thursday carrying humanitarian aid for the Caribbean island nation in the middle of a severe energy crisis.
The ships carried hundreds of tons of food and supplies. The Mexican government said that one ship contained 536 tons of food – including milk, beans, sardines, and cookies – while the other contained about 277 tons of powdered milk, according to the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/mexico-cuba-humanitarian-aid-havana-us-sanctions-52c44db94c9423511d67366662e78ac4">Associated Press</a>.
The arrival of aid comes weeks after President Donald Trump increased pressure on the Cuban economy, <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/01/addressing-threats-to-the-united-states-by-the-government-of-cuba/">threatening</a> tariffs against any nation that supplies Cuba with oil. Cuba has since instituted increasingly strict rules around the use of its remaining fuel supplies.
The aid delivers on a promise Mexico made to its ally to help as the United States bears down economically on the dictatorial regime in power in Havana. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum signaled said she would like to help Cuba more, but does not want to violate the U.S. blockade on oil.
As soon as the ships return, “we will send more support of different kinds,” Sheinbaum said on Thursday, according to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/feb/12/mexico-cuba-aid-oil-trump">The Guardian</a>. Sheinbaum is negotiating a delicate balance between the risk of angering Washington and aiding Mexico&#8217;s ally in the Caribbean.
“The energy pressure that Trump is exerting on <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/cuba">Cuba</a> places Mexico in a dilemma that is very characteristic of its entire history of diplomatic relations with the United States and Cuba,” Cuban historian Rafael Rojas told The Guardian. “Mexico is yielding to the demands of the United States – and on the other hand it maintains its solidarity with the island.”
Cuba’s energy crisis began after the U.S. arrest of former Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro in early January. After Maduro was extradited to New York for trial on charges related to drug trafficking, the United States took control of Venezuela’s oil exports, stopping exports to Cuba and cutting off Havana from its main supplier of fuel.
Almost immediately after the arrest of Maduro, Washington turned its focus to Cuba. Top Trump officials such as Secretary of State Marco Rubio have advocated for Havana’s current regime to topple.
“I don’t think it’s any mystery that we are not big fans of the Cuban regime, who, by the way, are the ones that were propping up Maduro,” Rubio <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/marco-rubio-believes-cuba-trouble-havana-maduro-military-venezuela-rcna252150">said</a> the day after Maduro’s arrest.
Cuban agents were honeycombed throughout the Maduro regime and Cuban special forces served as the core of Maduro’s personal guard.

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