Human smuggling and cartels from Mexico tend to go hand in hand, although they work with more illegal drugs than anything else. In Homeland Security Today,Anthony Kimery discusses the growing threat to our state. Just last Thursday, a couple was allegedly attacked at the Falcon Lake, perhaps signifying the increasing danger of drug cartels along the border of the Rio Grande Valley.
Comments: There have been numerous incidents this year near our area since both sides of the border have stepped up security and law enforcement. What does this mean for human smuggling along the border?"Comporting with the overall increase in the cartels’ fearless attacks on US border region law enforcement and civilians, officials said the growing problems in piracy on Falcon Lake is a direct result of the increased US enforcement on the border that has caused the cartels to diversify their illegal activities."[1]
If the cartels have truly taken on other activities aside from drugs (such as human smuggling), the increased threat may mean that they no longer care about the rules which bound them in the past (i.e., don't shoot women or children, leave the civilians out of turf wars. This also suggests there would be a bigger threat to those illegally crossing the border, because they could get caught in a fight/shooting, or they could possibly be members of the cartel themselves, and thus we would have to further increase security, triggering even more violence.