Foreign journalists receive close view of U.S. interdiction efforts at Southwest Border

On May 8-9, 2025, foreign journalists received a close view of U.S. interdiction efforts at the Southwest Border through an exclusive reporting tour in El Paso, TX. The program began with a focus on USG interdiction efforts to counter illegal immigration. FPC credentialed journalists began their morning with an operational ride-a-long of the border at dawn with Border Patrol, followed by a briefing with the commanders of the DOD-CBP Joint Task Force-Southern Border at the New Mexico National Defense Area. Journalists observed DOD and CBP technology used to surveil the border for illegal aliens and cartel activity, including Autonomous Surveillance Towers, Aerostat, DOD Stryker vehicles, and CBP Air and Marine Operations.

Day two of the program focused on U.S. law and the prosecution of human smuggling and trafficking groups, including drug trafficking networks, and removal efforts of illegal aliens present in the United States. Journalists received on-the-record briefings with the Department of Justice (DOJ) Joint Task Force Alpha, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). Journalists also visited the El Paso Intelligence Center (EPIC), an interagency initiative to provide tactical intelligence to local, state and federal law enforcement.

Credit: https://www.state.gov/