US Issues ‘Do Not Travel’ Advisory for Multiple Regions Along the US–Mexico Border

January 28, 2025 TruthUSA

The State Department reported that IEDs were discovered in four municipalities within Tamaulipas state.

The U.S. State Department has issued a high-level travel warning for certain Mexican towns adjacent to the U.S.-Mexico border due to increased risks involving kidnappings, gun violence, and improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

A bulletin published by the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Mexico stated that a “Level 4: Do Not Travel” advisory has been implemented for areas in Tamaulipas state, highlighting Reynosa, Rio Bravo, Valle Hermoso, and San Fernando, where IEDs have been located. This region borders the Rio Grande Valley in Texas.

The advisory further confirmed that officials are “aware of the increasingly frequent gun battles taking place in and around Reynosa during the late night and early morning hours.”

According to the statement, “An IED detonated against a Government of Mexico (Conagua) official vehicle in Rio Bravo, injuring its occupant on January 23.” Consequently, U.S. government personnel have been instructed to avoid travel near Rio Bravo and Reynosa after dark and to steer clear of unpaved roads throughout Tamaulipas state, which shares a long border with southern Texas.

The entire region of Tamaulipas is under a “Level 4” travel advisory due to risks related to kidnappings and crime, the bulletin, released on Monday night, noted.

The bulletin indicated that “Organized crime activities—including gun battles, murder, armed robbery, carjacking, kidnapping, forced disappearances, extortion, and sexual assault—are prevalent along the northern border and in Ciudad Victoria.”

Americans traveling in the state are urged to avoid unpaved roads and use paved routes instead. They should refrain from touching unfamiliar objects near roads, schedule their travel for daylight hours, and monitor local news for updates. Additionally, they should remain vigilant about their surroundings and notify friends or family of their well-being.

The State Department announcement did not specify whether the gun battles were between Mexican criminal groups or involved confrontations between those groups and the Mexican government.

Although the State Department has not declared a Level 4 travel advisory for the entirety of Mexico, numerous states and regions fall under this categorization, based on a map issued by the agency.

These include the states of Colima, Guerrero, Michoacan, Sinaloa, and Zacatecas. The Level 4 advisories reference crime or both crime and kidnappings.

A number of other states, such as Baja California, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Morelos, and Sonora, are categorized under “Level 3 – Reconsider Travel,” while most other states in Mexico are designated as “Level 2 – Exercise Increased Caution.”

Shortly after assuming office last week, President Donald Trump signed multiple orders regarding illegal immigration and border security, including the declaration of a national emergency along the U.S.-Mexico border and the deployment of additional troops.

The president also mandated an initiative to categorize drug cartels, along with the MS-13 and Tren de Aragua gangs, as foreign terrorist organizations.

This designation in Tamaulipas arises as the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) confirmed on Monday that Texas officials assisted U.S. Border Patrol agents after those agents encountered gunfire from cartel members in Mexico while patrolling in Fronton, a Texas city located along the border.

Fronton is directly situated across from Tamaulipas state, although it lies roughly 70 miles away from Reynosa and Rio Bravo.

According to DPS spokesman Chris Olivarez, “The State of Texas will remain vigilant over the area and utilize all available resources to mitigate transnational threats to our law enforcement partners and our homeland.”

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