• NMexico deploys 800 troops
  • Drones monitor border patrols
  • Equipment jams aerial signals

Mexico has reinforced its border with the United States with 800 troops and technology capable of jamming drones, in response to the use of these devices by migrant traffickers.

The deployment is part of Operation Águila Alta, coordinated with US authorities in the border area between Tijuana and San Diego, California.

The Ministry of National Defense reported that the operation is concentrated around Mesa de Otay, one of the main points of contact between the two countries.

According to the Mexican government, the detected drones are commercial and would be used to locate patrols and facilitate the irregular crossing of people.

Mexico Activates Anti-Drone Operation on the Border

Why it matters: Aerial surveillance adds another layer of complexity to a border where Mexico and the United States already maintain extensive security deployments and migration controls.

The fact: Nearly 800 Mexican elements patrol the area while operating semi-fixed and mobile anti-drone equipment with a jamming range of up to three kilometers.

The process: Águila Alta covers a strip of approximately five kilometers, taking Mesa de Otay as the central point, explained Defense Secretary Ricardo Trevilla Trejo.

What can be done? Those who live or transit through the region must follow official information in case of possible operational changes or restrictions related to aerial devices.

YOU MAY BE INTERESTED: US proposes changes to the Census that could exclude millions of immigrants

So far, Mexican authorities have not reported results from the operation on their territory, according to the information presented this Friday.

Trevilla announced that Mexican and US officials will meet next week to compare information and review findings from both sides.

The operation also includes two or three Mexican anti-drone systems, while the United States is developing similar measures within its territory.

The secretary noted that Mexico has not identified an increase in the use of these devices, although Washington has shared information about their use in illicit activities.

Traffickers Would Use Drones to Monitor Patrols

Mexico activates anti-drone operation on the border
Mexico activates anti-drone operation on the border. Illustration: generated with AI — MundoNow

President Claudia Sheinbaum clarified that the devices observed in this area are commercial drones, not weapons-equipped devices.

According to the president, migrant traffickers would use them to know the location of the authorities and find routes to facilitate irregular crossings.

This scenario is different from the one recorded in Michoacán and Sinaloa, where criminal groups have used drones with weapons or explosives, the Defense Ministry specified.

The distinction is relevant because it avoids automatically equating the activity detected in Tijuana with aerial operations of armed criminal organizations in other regions.

The Border Already Has Thousands of Deployed Elements

This new operation adds to the considerable security presence that Mexico has maintained along its entire northern border for some time.

Currently, there are 10,000 National Guard members deployed in that region, according to figures provided by the Defense Secretary.

To these are added between 3,000 and 3,300 military personnel normally stationed in the Mexican states bordering the United States.

The bilateral meeting scheduled for next week will be key to determining whether joint surveillance identifies new patterns in the use of drones to facilitate migrant trafficking.

Sources: Efe/ Infobae.