Gov. Greg Abbott ordered a statewide surge of Texas troopers after cartel violence exploded in Mexico following the killing of drug kingpin “El Mencho.”
The Republican governor directed the Texas Department of Public Safety to enhance public safety and homeland security operations across the state as chaos unfolded south of the border.
The Mexican army killed Jalisco New Generation cartel leader Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes during a weekend operation, according to reports.
The strike marked what officials described as the Mexican government’s “biggest prize yet” in its crackdown on cartels.
Videos circulating on social media showed smoke rising over Puerto Vallarta in Jalisco.
The people doing this to Mexico today are the same people ICE agents are trying to deport from the U.S.
Be more grateful to your government, liberals. pic.twitter.com/AC8KZhV9ID
— Mahyar Tousi (@MahyarTousi) February 22, 2026
Reports described panic at the state capital’s airport as travelers ran through terminals.
Abbott said the spike in violence poses a direct threat to Texans.
“Mexican drug cartels pose a significant threat to public safety and national security,” Abbott said.
“By increasing proactive efforts to defend against cartel violence, Texas will continue to utilize every tool and strategy to protect our state and our nation.”
🇲🇽🚨| ÚLTIMA HORA: El Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación habría usado drones contra fuerzas mexicanas. Aparentemente usaron drones comerciales tipo DJI Mavic o Matrice, adaptados para lanzar artefactos explosivos desde el aire. México es un desastre con Claudia Sheinbaum. pic.twitter.com/kqY1OFkpPq
— Eduardo Menoni (@eduardomenoni) February 23, 2026
He warned that Texas will not retreat in the face of cartel terror.
“We will not cower to criminals who impose terror on our fellow Texans and Americans,” Abbott added.
At the governor’s direction, Texas is deploying additional Texas Highway Patrol troopers, Texas Rangers, Criminal Investigations Division officers and Special Operations Group resources to the border region.
The mission focuses on detecting, interdicting and apprehending criminals while preventing spillover activity tied to transnational threats.
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Texas is also increasing the presence of its Tactical Marine Unit and Aircraft Operations Division along the border to detect and intercept criminal activity.
State officials activated more personnel from the Homeland Security Division and the Texas Fusion Center to monitor social media and suspicious activity around the clock.
The violence in Mexico left 25 Mexican National Guard troops dead along with more than two dozen suspected criminals following Oseguera Cervantes’ death.
Mexico Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch said the National Guard troops in Jalisco were killed in six separate attacks after the shootout at the cartel leader’s home.
García Harfuch reported that roughly 30 criminal suspects died in Jalisco and four more in Michoacan.
He said a prison guard, a state prosecutor’s office agent and an unidentified woman were also killed.
Cartel members responded by blocking roads and torching vehicles throughout Sunday.
The United States provided intelligence support for the Mexican operation. Mexican Defense Minister Ricardo Trevilla said intelligence leading to the raid came from a romantic partner of the crime boss.
Abbott urged Texans in Mexico to remain vigilant.
“I urge all Texans in Mexico to follow the guidance of U.S. officials, stay alert, and ensure they are in contact with the U.S. Embassy or nearest U.S. Consulate,” Abbott said.
“Situations on the ground can change quickly, and staying informed can save lives.”
He noted that Texans’ safety remains his top priority whether at home or abroad.
Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, called the strike the opening phase of a broader fight against the cartel.
“This is the beginning of the war against the most violent and deranged cartel in Mexico: El Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación or OJNG,” Crenshaw wrote on X.
This is the beginning of the war against the most violent and deranged cartel in Mexico: El Cartel Jalisco Nuevo Generación. Or CJNG. Their leader “El Mencho” was killed today in a raid by Mexican Special Forces using US intelligence. These elite forces train with us regularly.… pic.twitter.com/UF30NPRFrK
— Dan Crenshaw (@DanCrenshawTX) February 23, 2026
The former Navy SEAL argued that the operation represents a shift in focus toward CJNG after years of attention on the Sinaloa cartel.
“Over the past year, most of the attention has been on the Sinaloa cartel. This is a much-needed refocusing on CJNG. Both are major traffickers of fentanyl, but CJNG is more like ISIS than the mafia,” Crenshaw said.
He urged Congress to back stronger cooperation with Mexico.
“I’ve authored a dozen pieces of legislation to support our military, intelligence and law enforcement efforts in Mexico. It’s time for committees to take them up,” Crenshaw added.
Crenshaw has promoted the North America Security Initiative, which aims to bolster U.S. support for Mexican special forces.
He has called for providing Mexico with equipment, weapons and intelligence similar to U.S. support for Ukraine.
“We finally have a solid partner in the Mexican government to work with. We are finally focusing huge intelligence collection efforts on the cartels (due in large part to my amendment to FISA two years ago authorizing collection on the cartels),” Crenshaw said.
“We are finally taking them on. It won’t be over soon. But it’s about time we started.”
During an appearance on “Sunday Night in America,” Crenshaw described CJNG as one of the deadliest cartels and a primary producer of fentanyl entering the United States.
“It’s also, by far, the most militarized cartel,” he said.
He characterized cartel fighters as operating like insurgents.
Crenshaw said members are “dressed up like they think they’re special forces units” and use RPGs, drones and IEDs. He labeled the organization a “terrorist insurgency.”
The congressman praised Mexico’s renewed offensive against cartel leaders and credited U.S. intelligence sharing for assisting the raids.
He singled out Mexico’s Secretary of Security and Civilian Protection Omar Harfuch for leading the effort.
Crenshaw noted that CJNG previously carried out an assassination attempt against Harfuch in Mexico City in 2020.
“So my hat’s off to him, because he is now leading the charge against the cartels… It’s probably pretty good revenge for him, and so you’ve really finally got good people in office in Mexico that our administration can actually work with,” Crenshaw said.
