American Hikers Escape After Coming Under Fire Near The Border in Cartel Attack

A group of American hikers came under cartel fire Wednesday in the Jacumba Wilderness area near the U.S.-Mexico border. The attack left one hiker injured, while the others in the group were unharmed. The shooting occurred about 70 miles east of San Diego, California.

Greg Bovino, chief patrol agent for the Border Patrol's El Centro Sector, described the incident as a "brutal attack" involving gunfire and robbery, according to the Border Report. The wounded man, who was shot twice, was airlifted to a hospital after receiving medical assistance from agents on the scene. The hiker's condition has not been disclosed, nor has the hospital's name.

"This is a WARNING," Bovino wrote on X. "These cartels think they can bring their war to American soil. Think again! The safety of our citizens is not negotiable."

Tactical agents with BORTAC, a specialized unit of the Border Patrol, were deployed to assist the group. San Diego County Sheriff's deputies also responded to the incident.

Bovino did not hold back in his condemnation of the attack. "Cartel terrorists have no place in our country preying on the innocent," he said. ""The American people will not retreat from this kind of terror," he added. "Enough is enough."

Authorities are continuing to investigate the incident, but no further details about the attackers or their motives have been released.

Donald Trump is set to designate drug cartels as terrorist organizations. He anticipated his willingness to designate cartels as foreign terrorist organizations during his inaugural speech. "Under the orders I'll signed today, we will also be designating the cartels as foreign terrorist organizations," he said, adding that, under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, he will crack down on foreign criminal gang.

This isn't the first time the Republican president has promised to enact this designation upon these organizations. In late, 2019, Trump appeared close to designating Mexican cartels as terror organizations but held off at the request of then-Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. Since then, Republicans up and down the ballot have floated the idea, including introducing legislation that would make the designation official.

Using this designation could preface the use of military force on Mexican soil. At the same time, it could also lead to tougher financial penalties and legal ramifications in the US against those involved. Experts argue that it could strain the relationship between the U.S. and Mexico and could also hurt the economy.

Trump's order highlighted non-Mexican groups such as Venezuela's Tren de Aragua and El Salvador's Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13), claiming they pose a threat to U.S. safety and stability across the Western Hemisphere. It did not name specific Mexican cartels but instructed officials to recommend groups for designation within two weeks.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum reacted to the initiative on Tuesday, emphasizing that "we all want to fight the drug cartels." However, she drew a clear line to do so: "The U.S. in their territory, us in our territory," she added.