The Trump administration is taking steps to harden the border in the area surrounding Mount Cristo Rey in New Mexico.
Known locally as “Cartel Mountain,” the small peak in Sunland Park, NM, has been a hotbed of criminal activity and human smuggling in recent years.
U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) sources say American soldiers are now stationed in Sunland Park and plans for permanent border barrier are in the works.
There is little to no physical structure separating the U.S. from Mexico, but in the past two weeks, Normandy-style barricades have been erected with the primary purpose of restricting vehicles from illegally crossing into the U.S.
“The vehicle barrier we have installed is a quarter of a mile with plans to expand it further east of Cristo Rey, with a vision of completing a border wall, a more permanent structure in the area,” USBP spokesman Orlando Marrero-Rubio told Border Report.
A closer look at the Normandy-style barriers placed on the U.S.-Mexico border on the western slope of Mount Cristo Rey. This area has been a choice crossing location for migrants and smugglers due to its steep terrain, lack of roads and absence of a border wall. #KTSM9News pic.twitter.com/sjaynXGcsu
— Andy Morgan (@AndyMorganTV) February 6, 2025
Last year, immigration news outlet Border Hawk exposed utter lawlessness around Cartel Mountain, where criminal networks were operating with impunity.
“It’s not ours. It’s theirs,” one Border Patrol agent stated.
Cartel Mountain and the Invasion of New Mexico
— Border Hawk (@BorderHawkNews) June 4, 2024
Border Hawk takes you to one of the most dangerous places along the U.S.-Mexico frontier: Sunland Park, New Mexico.
Sunland Park lies directly across the border from Puerto de Anapra, a ‘colonia’ in Ciudad Juarez in the Mexican… pic.twitter.com/GUB5i624qg
Signage in the mountain’s parking lot advises prospective hikers and religious pilgrims to notify Sunland Park police before embarking on a climb.
“Due to the proximity of Mexico on the Southern edge of the mountain, visitors are cautioned to not climb alone and always go in groups. Vandalism, assaults and robberies are still an ongoing problem and visitors are encouraged to visit on days when organized events are being held and security is on site,” an alert on the Mt. Cristo Rey website states.
Border Hawk’s reporters climbed the mountain multiple times and witnessed an endless stream of illegals making their way into Sunland Park with the assistance of ‘coyotes’ and ‘falcones’ – cartel operatives who guide migrants on their journey into the U.S.
However, illegal crossings have dropped substantially in the past month, and authorities are hoping to see them fall even lower.
The Mean Green Machine has reclaimed the mountaintop that, just days ago, was under the control of organized crime from south of the border. This is a significant move as they've restored their authority and control over the area. pic.twitter.com/eIiXkIF0iT
— Anthony Aguero Live 🇺🇸 (@AnthonyAguero_) January 28, 2025
A permanent barrier in the region will “make it difficult for smugglers to bring people and anything else across,” according to Marrero-Rubio.
This article was originally published at InfoWars.com
