Blaze News original: American hiker shot by 'suspected cartel terrorists' highlights chaos under sanctuary laws

A group of "suspected cartel terrorists" shot an American hiker last week in California near one of the most heavily trafficked border crossings in the nation.

According to Customs and Border Protection, the agency was notified by the Imperial County Sheriff's Office about the ruthless attack around 11:00 a.m. on January 22.

'Yet another alarming example of the chaos at our southern border.'

CBP encountered the group approximately 1,000 feet north of the U.S.-Mexico border.

U.S. Border Patrol El Centro Sector officials posted a video on social media, showing agents carrying the injured hiker to a helicopter. The victim, who sustained two gunshot wounds to his leg, was airlifted to a nearby hospital to receive treatment.

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Border Patrol referred to the incident as an "attack on [a] U.S. citizen by suspected cartel terrorists."

"A group of U.S. citizens hiking in the Jacumba Wilderness in California was brutally attacked and strafed with gunfire by suspect cartel members in El Centro Sector's area of responsibility," Border Patrol's post read. "One victim was shot twice and robbed."

"These cartels think they can bring their war to American soil," the statement continued. "Let this serve as a WARNING: The El Centro Sector will not stand idly by. The safety of our citizens is NOT negotiable; cartel terrorists have no place in our country preying on the innocent. Enough is enough."

The post noted that the Border Patrol's Mobile Response Team, Tactical Unit, and Search, Trauma, and Rescue "were dispatched to the area to rescue the hikers, evacuate them, and neutralize any threats."

'How many more Americans have to be shot, trafficked, or killed before action is taken?'

"The American people will not retreat from this kind of terror," the Border Patrol's post concluded.

A Canadian citizen who was hiking with the group was shot at and robbed during the attack, according to a CBP press release. The individual was not wounded.

"He was here legally, visiting and out for a hike with his friends," a post from the El Centro Sector read. "He was shot at (uninjured) and later robbed after bravely staying at his wounded friend's side."

The assailants took the men's cell phones and backpacks.

El Centro Sector Chief Gregory Bovino said, "The wounded hiker is an 'I told you so moment' highlighting the importance of adequate infrastructure the Border Patrol has been championing for years now."

"Suspected cartel terrorists, however, are fixing to learn this type of conduct will be an end game type of activity here in the Premier Sector. All threats, anywhere, or at any time throughout this sector will be addressed vigorously," Bovino added.

According to NewsNation's Ali Bradley, the group of approximately 10 was reportedly walking at the Valley of the Moon, a hiking area in Jacumba Hot Springs. The trailhead is located in San Diego County, and the path extends into Imperial County.

"The hikers said the bandits were armed and were talking to them, but the hikers couldn't understand Spanish so the bandits started shooting into the air and then fired shots at the group, hitting the man in the leg," Bradley wrote in a post on X.

The suspects reportedly escaped Border Patrol agents, fleeing back to Mexico.

San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond told Blaze News that the violent attack was "yet another alarming example of the chaos at our southern border."

"When cartels and border bandits feel emboldened to cross into our country, attack innocent civilians, and retreat back into Mexico without consequence, it's clear that we do not have operational control of our border," Desmond stated. "American citizens should not have to fear for their lives while hiking in their own country."

"Our Border Patrol agents do an incredible job with the resources they have, but it's not enough," he continued. "The cartels are exploiting our open border and operating with near impunity. Until the border is fully secured, we need the National Guard and military stationed there to stop these violent criminals from preying on innocent people."

"How many more Americans have to be shot, trafficked, or killed before action is taken?" Desmond questioned.

Cory Gautereaux, a San Diego resident and the founder of the Goat Initiative, an organization dedicated to combatting human trafficking along the U.S.-Mexico border, told Blaze News that the hiking area where the incident occurred is "extremely remote."

"It used to be a very popular off-road, hiking, climbing area but not much in the last two to three years," he noted.

Gautereaux stated that he is "extremely happy to see 'the boys go to work.'"

"Meaning, we have had these specialized Border Patrol teams neutered by the last admin. It took a matter of days to show how fast they can react and what they are capable of once you let them loose," he said of the Border Patrol's emergency response teams.

Imperial County informed Blaze News that the "case is currently under the jurisdiction of the FBI," directing any questions to the federal agency.

'Are we trying to protect criminals or residents?'

When asked whether the incident is currently under investigation, FBI San Diego stated, "Based on longstanding DOJ policy, we cannot confirm or deny the existence of an investigation."

The agency also did not address whether the suspects were confirmed cartel terrorists.

California suburbs push back against liberal sanctuary policies

Officials in El Cajon, a city within San Diego County, moved to reject the state's and the county's sanctuary policies.

On January 28, Mayor Bill Wells introduced a resolution "to support federal deportation efforts for criminals, ensuring that those who break our laws and threaten our families are held accountable," according to an email statement sent to Blaze News.

The city council's agenda stated that the resolution aimed to provide clarity regarding the inconsistencies between state and federal immigration laws. It further declared El Cajon's "intent to ensure the public safety of all residents" and "intent to comply with federal immigration law to the legal extent permissible under SB 54 and other applicable laws to remove violent criminals from our community."

California's Senate Bill 54, signed into law by former Gov. Jerry Brown (D) in 2017, prohibits local officials from cooperating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials.

On Tuesday, El Cajon residents packed the city council meeting to voice their opinions on the mayor's resolution. The heated debate lasted five hours with more than 80 residents requesting to speak on the matter.

Gautereaux addressed the city council, asking, "Are we trying to protect criminals or residents?"

"Two weeks ago, I had a very informative, private dinner with Tom Homan. I will tell that he's coming. He's coming here to El Cajon," he said. "He knows how everyone's going to vote today. Let's make sure we do it right so when he comes to town, we can work with him and get the violent people out of this city."

Residents against the resolution argued that such a policy was inherently racist and discriminatory. Several residents, particularly those of color, claimed that with the Trump administration promising mass deportations, they felt forced to carry around documents proving their American citizenship.

One woman stated she told her father "to carry around his birth certificate because of potential deportation due to misguided profiling."

"I had to tell my mother to carry her naturalization papers," she added. "Why do I have to carry around my own birth certificate? I was born here."

"We're already scared to call the cops. Now, we're definitely not going to," she added.

The city's decision to consider the resolution followed a December determination by the San Diego County Board of Supervisors to adopt a measure that effectively doubled down on the county's sanctuary status. The only dissenting vote was made by Supervisor Desmond, who opposed the county's "super" sanctuary status.

'The intent of this resolution is to deliberately sidestep the governor's efforts.'

Regarding his proposed resolution, Wells said, "For too long, California's Sanctuary State policies have protected illegal criminals at the expense of law-abiding citizens. These policies prevent local law enforcement from cooperating with federal authorities, allowing dangerous individuals to remain in our community and country. That must change."

"After meeting with border czar Tom Homan, it is clear that we must take action at the local level. I am proposing that our city will work with — not against — federal immigration enforcement to ensure that criminals who pose a risk to our residents are removed," he added.

On Tuesday evening, the El Cajon City Council voted 3-2 to reject Wells' resolution.

City council member Steve Goble, the swing vote, argued that he did not want El Cajon to become the center of political controversy like Huntington Beach.

Approximately 100 miles north in Orange County, city council members in Huntington Beach unanimously voted earlier this month to declare the Los Angeles suburb a "non-sanctuary city."

Huntington Beach Mayor Pat Burns stated that the resolution was "in the best interest of our community."

"The intent of this resolution is to deliberately sidestep the governor's [Gavin Newsom] efforts to subvert the good work of federal immigration authorities and to announce the city's cooperation with the federal government, the Trump administration, and border czar Tom Homan's work," the city's resolution read.

Further, Burns filed a lawsuit against California's SB 54, claiming that it "not only limits the ability of city officials ... to engage in fullest of effective law enforcement practices, but it directs city officials ... to violate U.S. federal immigration laws."

Trump admin moves to stop invasion

On Inauguration Day, just days before the attack on the group of hikers, President Donald Trump signed an executive order designating cartels "as foreign terrorist organizations."

The executive action read, "The cartels have engaged in a campaign of violence and terror throughout the Western hemisphere that has not only destabilized countries with significant importance for our national interests but also flooded the United States with deadly drugs, violent criminals, and vicious gangs."

"The cartels functionally control, through a campaign of assassination, terror, rape, and brute force nearly all illegal traffic across the southern border of the United States," it continued. "In certain portions of Mexico, they function as quasi-governmental entities, controlling nearly all aspects of society. The cartels' activities threaten the safety of the American people, the security of the United States, and the stability of the international order in the Western hemisphere. Their activities, proximity to, and incursions into the physical territory of the United States pose an unacceptable national security risk to the United States."

Also, as part of his day-one actions, the president declared the overwhelming number of illegal entries a national emergency in keeping with his promise to move swiftly to close down the southern border.

"Cartels control vast territories just south of our southern border, effectively controlling who can and cannot travel to the United States from Mexico," the order stated.

Just three days into his presidency, Trump signed another executive order to deploy 1,500 additional troops to the U.S.-Mexico border to assist Border Patrol agents with cracking down on illegal crossings.

The administration stated that the directive would deploy 1,000 Army personnel and 500 Marines to the southern border of California and Texas. The soldiers will be tasked with erecting border barriers to deter illegal entries.

There are already 2,500 soldiers stationed at the border.

An internal government memo obtained by CBS News revealed that the administration is weighing sending up to 10,000 active-duty military members.

Military personnel are not tasked with direct immigration enforcement; instead, they provide CBP with other assistance, which can include detection and monitoring, logistics, administrative, and mechanical support.

The document obtained by CBS News further stated that the Trump administration's Department of Defense "may" convert its bases into "holding facilities."

Trump has reportedly already successfully reduced the number of border crossings. On Sunday, bored encounters reached less than 600 people, with no sector experiencing more than 200, Fox News reported. For comparison, under former President Joe Biden, daily encounter peaks reached 11,000. Even in the final days of Biden's presidency, there were 1,200 to 1,400 daily.

Border czar Tom Homan has expressed a need for Immigration and Customs Enforcement to drastically increase the number of detention beds. ICE currently has 34,000 beds, but Homan hopes to secure at least 100,000.

The internal government memo stated that ICE has requested 14 new detention facilities with 1,000 beds each and four additional holding centers with 10,000 beds each.

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