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FBI-DOD Program Enlists, Equips International Partners to Help Crush Cartel Violence

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FBI-DOD Program Enlists, Equips International Partners to Help Crush Cartel Violence
Members of the Colombia, Dominican Republic, and Guatemala police forces attend an FBI-led tactical combat casualty care training session in Barbados in May 2024. The instruction was part of a larger U.S. Southern Command-sponsored exercise. (U.S. Army photo by 1st Sgt. Emily Anderson via FBI)
Members of the Colombia, Dominican Republic, and Guatemala police forces attend an FBI-led tactical combat casualty care training session in Barbados in May 2024. The instruction was part of a larger U.S. Southern Command-sponsored exercise. (U.S. Army photo by 1st Sgt. Emily Anderson via FBI)

Texas Border Business

Federal Bureau of Investigation

A training program jointly conducted by the FBI Criminal Investigative Division’s Transnational Organized Crime-Western Hemisphere (or TOC-West) Operations Unit and the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) is taking the fight against violent cartels to these groups’ home turf. 

The FBI TOC-West Vetted Team Program brings together Bureau personnel, the military’s U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), and Green Berets from the U.S. Army’s 7th Special Forces Group to train national civil police forces from partner countries in Latin America and the Caribbean in critical operational skills. These vetted teams are tasked with investigating transnational criminal organizations, including cartels and other criminal organizations based in those nations.  

Training days 

An FBI special agent demonstrates how to properly lift a suspect during a defensive tactics training for TOC-West vetted team partners held in Barbados in May 2024. The instruction was part of a larger U.S. Southern Command-sponsored training exercise. (U.S. Army photo by 1st Sgt. Emily Anderson via FBI)

Together, the FBI and its TOC-West vetted teams conduct bilateral investigations and operations that target every facet of transnational organized crime groups, including: 

  • organizational leaders 
  • people who launder money on these leaders’ behalf 
  • “security” personnel and “enforcers” whose job it is to retaliate against individuals who agitate these criminal groups 
  • violent crime perpetrators and facilitators 
  • fentanyl traffickers and suppliers 

“We want to target the entire enterprise,” explained Mike, a supervisory special agent who serves as the FBI’s program coordinator for the TOC-West assistant legal attachés (ALATs), vetted teams, and training. He’s also an FBI liaison to the U.S. Department of Defense.  

This strategic approach mirrors the Bureau’s broader strategy for combating transnational organized crime around the world. 

They do this by investigating offenses including large-scale international drug trafficking, money laundering, and violent crimes like kidnappings, extortions, and homicides. The teams also help the Bureau investigate white collar crime and kidnappings for ransom targeting U.S. citizens—whether or not a cartel is responsible. Finally, the teams can be tapped to investigate high-profile matters, such as U.S. persons who go missing while traveling. 

“They have—as part of their own agencies—their own command structure, their own lieutenants, their own captains,” Mike said of our international law enforcement partners who serve on TOC-West vetted teams. “But the FBI Criminal Investigative Division ALAT, as an advisor to the team, can provide guidance and direction.” 

The TOC West Operations Unit within the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division (CID) oversees 17 ALATs in eight countries. The unit’s work focuses primarily on transnational organized crime investigations. The FBI’s International Operations Division, which manages the Bureau’s overall ALAT program worldwide, provides additional oversight and operational support. 

Each vetted team includes a commanding officer from its own agency who supervises the team. However, the CID TOC-West ALAT serves as an advisor who guides the team by helping them set investigative priorities and develop investigative strategy, offering operational guidance, and providing training opportunities and logistical support. Each ALAT ensures communication and coordination between the vetted team, CID personnel, and case agents in field offices across the United States. 

A potent partnership

This innovative partnership with international law enforcement agencies lets us leverage those agencies’ in-country investigative authorities. And, Mike added, ongoing collaboration with “a core group of trusted partners” empowers the Bureau to combat transnational organized crime threats “in real time.” 

The FBI’s CID TOC-West ALAT in Guatemala agreed, noting that these partners lend “precision and local legitimacy” to FBI missions in cartel hotspots. 

“Their deep understanding of local terrain, laws, and criminal networks enables FBI agents to work effectively in complex environments,” the ALAT said. “Without their collaboration, the apprehension of key figures within transnational criminal organizations would be significantly more challenging—if not impossible.” 

In addition to their local expertise, these international partners’ professional acumen on their investigative beats also plays a crucial role in supporting TOC-West’s efforts to counter cartels on foreign soil. 

For example, the deputy superintendent of the Colombian National Police—who also serves on an FBI vetted team—said his extensive experience surveilling criminals who helped move drugs across international borders taught him how “to anticipate their modus operandi, routes, and the steps they take when moving their drug shipments.”

“This insight enables me to guide field investigators, helping them carry out the major seizures we’ve successfully achieved,” the deputy superintendent said. 

“The ability to share intelligence, conduct parallel investigations, and conduct joint operations targeting transnational criminal organizations of mutual concern is invaluable,” said the FBI’s TOC-West ALAT in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. “Partnerships between vetted teams and the FBI enhance the FBI’s ability to address transnational organized crime threats, making the U.S. safer and more secure.” 

And the support goes both ways. 

For instance, a member of our vetted team in Guatemala expressed gratitude to FBI officials for providing logistics, knowledge, expertise, and assistance with approaching and recruiting confidential human sources. This support, they said, has enabled the team to seize drugs, locate wanted subjects and execute extradition orders, and share intelligence with the FBI and other partners. 

How team locations are chosen 

The Bureau currently has six TOC-West vetted teams—one each in Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Honduras, and two in Mexico. The FBI is also in the process of adding an additional team in Panama. The TOC West Operations Unit is considering further expansion elsewhere in Latin America. 
 
The Bureau considers multiple factors when choosing where to create new TOC-West vetted teams, including the location of priority threats and staffing. 

According to the TOC-West ALAT program coordinator, transnational organized crime activity has become increasingly globalized and interconnected. 

“Transnational organized crime actors are integrated and diversified,” Mike explained. “They don’t respect arbitrary boundaries like national borders or administrative boundaries that the governments or law enforcement agencies may impose on themselves. They operate where they can profit, and that means we have to do the same thing.” 

For this reason, the TOC-West Vetted Team Program’s rapid expansion has been a direct response to the evolution of the threat. 

The history of TOC-West vetted teams 

The map above demonstrates where the FBI’s TOC-West vetted teams operate within Latin America and the Caribbean. The countries where these teams are based are highlighted in orange. Panama, where the Bureau is in the process of adding an additional team, is highlighted in maroon. FBI Graphic

The FBI and our interagency partners have been long-committed to using vetted teams to stay ahead of the TOC threat. 

The Bureau created its first two TOC-West vetted teams in Colombia and the Dominican Republic more than 10 years ago. Our partners at the Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security have their own versions of vetted teams, too.  

Eric Geressy, a U.S. Army veteran and current senior Defense Department civilian official who has conducted training exercises with vetted teams for years, called TOC-West’s iteration “a finishing force” in the U.S. government’s pursuit of some of the worst offenders. 

“For DOD, like the FBI and all interagency partners, we see the joint training efforts as critical to everyone’s success and survival—it needs to be hard and realistic, so we’re all ready to go whenever we’re called on,” Geressy said. “Training and working together is how we can best protect the people of the United States and all our partner nations.” 

How TOC-West vetted teams are trained 

The FBI trains its TOC-West vetted teams as much as possible because it is critical to their safety and our shared success.  

Vetted team training exercises—hosted on the ground in partner countries and conducted in Spanish by bilingual instructors—educate our international law enforcement partners on how the FBI approaches investigations and conducts related activity. Trainings also review critical skillsets that can save their lives when they’re on the job. 

Medical care under fire is a prominent part of the training. The U.S. Department of Defense developed the training based on lessons learned from combat, Mike explained, and the Bureau and other federal law enforcement have adopted it. This training aims to empower vetted teams to keep injured individuals alive until they can be treated by a doctor or at a hospital. And, Mike recalled from his FBI Academy training, the quicker someone can get an injured person to a trauma center, the more likely they are to survive. 

For this reason, he added, every vetted team member receives a medical kit—the kind of resource that our international law enforcement partners might not otherwise have access to. “This helps everybody have the best chance possible to go home alive,” he said. 

The training exercises also cover the basics of firearms safety, marksmanship, and building good instincts to make split-second decisions wisely—such as how to react if someone unexpectedly draws a gun and starts shooting at you. “We make it individualized and vary the training by country and to make sure we’re hitting the right training points” for each team’s needs, Mike said of this portion of the training. 

Additionally, vetted team members learn basic hand-to-hand combat skills—both to help them defend themselves without the use of a weapon and to empower them to more easily apprehend individuals who might resist arrest—and how to respond to attacks on vehicles they might be riding in.  

The instruction at these international training exercises is a team effort between Bureau personnel and U.S. Special Operations Command troops from the U.S. Army’s 7th Special Forces Group.  

“We’ve been very appreciative and grateful for the opportunity to work with U.S. Southern Command and the Department of Defense,” Mike said. “They do annual joint training internationally—one training in Central America, one in the Caribbean, and another one in South America. And so, we’ve partnered up with them since 2023 to bring our vetted teams and instructors to their exercises to cross-train our teams with other teams; to work with the 7th Special Forces Group; and to do firearms, tactics, and medical care together.” 

The Bureau aims to hold two or three of its own international trainings every year, with support from FBI’s International Operations Division and the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs. These trainings cover the same ground as our bilateral trainings with DOD. 

And for the past two years, the Bureau has brought TOC-West vetted-team partners to the United States for a collective training opportunity at Quantico, Virginia, known as the Basic Investigator Course. The TOC-West Operations Unit hopes to continue this training annually.  

“It’s important for interoperability that the training we provide is the same for everybody because we don’t know when we’re all going to be working together,” he said. 

The need for this kind of interoperability training was underscored by real-life tragedy when a member of the TOC-West vetted team in the Dominican Republic was killed in the line of duty while responding to an attempted robbery alongside FBI agents. He died while working to defend them and other civilians, Mike recalled. More recently, in 2024, two members of the Bureau’s vetted team in Colombia were ambushed, with one officer killed and the other wounded. Last month, representatives of IOD and CID presented the fallen officer’s family with the FBI Medal of Valor. 

“It’s not just for camaraderie,” he said. “We don’t know when we’re all going to find ourselves in the same fight at the same time.” 

How TOC-West vetted teams enable extraditions

TOC-West vetted teams can be indispensable tools in apprehending subjects wanted by the FBI who are physically located in other countries.  

This is because the national police or authorities with whom we partner have the law enforcement authorities to bring them into custody. However, the FBI can help build evidence in an investigation and collaborate with the U.S. Department of Justice to seek a U.S. grand jury indictment in a case. 

If and when an indictment is granted, the Bureau collaborates with DOJ’s Office of International Affairs to get a provisional arrest warrant. This is essentially a request to a foreign government to issue a warrant in that country so its law enforcement authorities can arrest someone we believe has violated U.S. law but is physically located within their borders.

“If they do, there’s still a judicial process in that country to which the person can object and say, ‘I shouldn’t be extradited,’ so it can be time-consuming,” Mike explained. “But we believe it’s worth the effort. We believe these are people who have committed very serious crimes and we want to seek a day in court to prove those offenses. And the vetted teams are a critical partner in helping us do that.” This process ultimately helps the FBI seek justice in a U.S court against alleged cartel leaders and suspected murderers, and for other significant crimes.  

This year alone, our Mexico-based TOC-West vetted teams helped the Bureau net two of our Ten Most Wanted Fugitives—alleged MS-13 leader Francisco Javier Roman-Bardales and alleged murderer Arnoldo Jimenez. Likewise, our TOC-West vetted team in the Dominican Republic recently captured two FBI fugitives in a single day. 

TOC-West vetted team members can also take the stand in U.S. federal court to help secure convictions. For example, in 2023, officers from our Dominican Republic-based team traveled to Washington, D.C., to testify in an attempted hostage-taking case.  

“The defendant was convicted on all counts,” Mike said. “He was somebody that was luring victims from the U.S. to the Dominican Republic using a dating site with a fake profile and then taking them hostage and extorting their families for money. So, there’s a real-world impact.”  

Information source: Federal Bureau of Investigation

A Journey of Resilience and Education

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A Journey of Resilience and Education
Maria Alicia Garza, 77, pauses for a moment during South Texas College’s commencement ceremony , at the Bert Ogden Arena. She walked the stage wearing a stole honoring her late husband, whose memory inspired her return to college. STC image
Maria Alicia Garza, 77, pauses for a moment during South Texas College’s commencement ceremony , at the Bert Ogden Arena. She walked the stage wearing a stole honoring her late husband, whose memory inspired her return to college. STC image

Texas Border Business

By Bryceidee Leos 

Maria Alicia Garza’s journey to graduation is a story of perseverance, courage and the pursuit of lifelong learning. At 77 years old, Maria Alicia recently earned her Commercial Baking Certification from South Texas College.

Her path to this achievement wasn’t easy. Garza’s story begins with personal sacrifices and challenges. After her father passed away when she was just 16, she assumed responsibility for helping her mother and sister. She then married, and her late husband, faced numerous struggles, including a back injury that made finding employment difficult.

 Despite these challenges, education remained an essential value in the Garza family.

 Garza’s husband, after years of struggle, earned his GED diploma and eventually became a teacher, a milestone that she said she always admired.

 Inspired by his determination and fueled by her desire to better herself, Garza decided to return to school. Her journey was not just for herself, but also a tribute to the memory of her husband, who had always encouraged her to pursue her education.

 Enrolling at STC at the age of 77, Garza initially struggled with technology, a challenge that felt never ending especially with an ever-evolving digital landscape. However, she was not discouraged.

 The welcoming and supportive staff at STC’s CLE ,alongside encouragement from her daughter, helped her navigate the online aspects of her coursework.

 “I was nervous about technology, but I never felt criticized,” Garza said. “The people at STC reassured me that I wasn’t the only one and that I would learn, step by step. That gave me the confidence to keep going.”

 Her journey was not only an academic pursuit, but also a physical one. Diagnosed with lupus, Garza [AS1] faced daily battles with fatigue and pain. Despite these challenges, she pushed through the physical demands of the program, working long hours in the kitchen, learning the science behind baking and practicing her craft. She persevered, determined that neither lupus nor technology would stop her.

 “I had to push through pain, even when my body was screaming at me to stop,” she shared. “But I couldn’t let that beat me. I knew I could do it, and I had to keep going for myself.”

 Her story was more than just personal accomplishment, it was about her family. As she walked across the stage at graduation, her thoughts were with the loved ones who had inspired her.

 “I wished my dad and my husband were there,” she said. “My husband pushed me to go to school. He always believed in me, and I know he would have been so proud.”

 Her family’s support was unwavering, with her daughter helping her navigate technology at home and her fellow students and chefs offering constant encouragement.

  “The chefs at STC were incredible,” Garza said. “They inspired me with their dedication, and I felt a sense of belonging in their presence. Even though I was the oldest in my class, they treated me with respect, and that made all the difference.”

 Garza’s story is more than just about earning a certificate, it’s about proving to herself and others, that it’s never too late to learn, to grow and to succeed.

 With unwavering support from her family and the community at STC, Garza achieved a dream she once thought impossible.

 As she reflects on her journey, Garza advises others particularly those over 40 who may feel apprehensive about returning to school. “Don’t be afraid. STC is a place where you can learn at your own pace and they will support you every step of the way. It’s never too late to start.”

 Garza’s story is a shining example of resilience, the power of education and the importance of family support. Afterall, her achievement is not just a personal win, but a testament to the strength of the human spirit and the value of never giving up.

Information source: STC

Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism’s Letter to Harvard University

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Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism’s Letter to Harvard University
The Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism sent a letter to Harvard University regarding anti-semitism. Image for illustration purposes
The Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism sent a letter to Harvard University regarding anti-semitism. Image for illustration purposes

Texas Border Business

U.S. Department of Education

The Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism sent the following letter to Harvard University:

Dear Dr. Garber, 

Harvard holds the regrettable distinction of being among the most prominent and visible breeding ground for race discrimination, as the Supreme Court noted in Students for Fair Admission v. Harvard, 600 U.S. 181 (2023). That legacy of discrimination persists with Harvard’s continued anti-Semitism. Any institution that refuses to meet its duties under federal law may not receive a wide range of federal privileges. 

Today, the Joint Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism is notifying you that the Office for Civil Rights at the United States Department of Health and Human Services has concluded its Title VI investigation regarding anti-Semitism at Harvard University. After a thorough investigation, HHS OCR finds that Harvard University is in violent violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, and national origin. 

The enclosed Notice of Violation details the findings of fact supporting a conclusion that Harvard has been in some cases deliberately indifferent, and in others has been a willful participant in anti-Semitic harassment of Jewish students, faculty, and staff. For example:

The majority of Jewish students reported experiencing negative bias or discrimination on campus, while a quarter felt physically unsafe. 

Jewish and Israeli students were assaulted and spit on; they hid their kippahs for fear of being harassed and concealed their Jewish identity from classmates for fear of ostracization. 

Images were widely circulated among the Harvard community that trafficked in obvious anti-Semitic tropes, including one that showed a dollar sign inside a Star of David. The campus was vandalized with anti-Semitic stickers, including one that showed the Israeli flag with a swastika in place of the Star of David. 

The campus was wracked by demonstrations that flagrantly violated the University’s rules of conduct. The demonstrations included calls for genocide and murder, and denied Jewish and Israeli students access to campus spaces. 

The heart of campus was overrun by an impermissible, multiweek encampment that instilled fear in, and disrupted the studies of, Jewish and Israeli students. Even worse, individuals who participated in the encampment received lax and inconsistent discipline—and as the discipline was reviewed by higher levels among the faculty, it was often downgraded. By the end of the process, even accounting only for the students that were charged, only a fraction received some sort of discipline, and none were suspended. A member of Harvard’s own leadership called the disciplinary process “not fair” and “not right.” 

Harvard did not dispute our findings of fact, nor could it. These facts, while tragic for the individuals involved, are important to address for a broader, historical reason as well. As history has proven, the failure to face the reality of anti-Semitism can have catastrophic effects. The Holocaust engulfed Europe due to the “[d]isbelief, incredulity, and denial on the part of both victims and onlookers” which “worked to the advantage of those who wanted to eradicate the Jews.” 

Harvard’s inaction in the face of these civil rights violations is a clear example of the demographic hierarchy that has taken hold of the University. Equal defense of the law demands that all groups, regardless of race or national origin, are protected. Harvard’s commitment to racial hierarchies—where individuals are sorted and judged according to their membership in an oppressed group identity and not individual merit—has enabled anti-Semitism to fester on Harvard’s campus and has led a once great institution to humiliation, offering remedial math and forcing Jewish students to hide their identities and ancestral stories. 

Failure to institute adequate changes immediately will result in the loss of all federal financial resources and continue to affect Harvard’s relationship with the federal government. Harvard may of course continue to operate free of federal privileges, and perhaps such an opportunity will spur a commitment to excellence that will help Harvard thrive once again. 

The enclosed document serves to focus Harvard on the need for meaningful and immediate reform and fulfill the requirement under law that Americans cease funding discriminatory institutions.

Information source: U.S. Department of Education

Mexico to Reimburse U.S. Remittance Tax on Cash Transfers, Sheinbaum Announces

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Mexico to Reimburse U.S. Remittance Tax on Cash Transfers, Sheinbaum Announces
President Claudia Sheinbaum announced on Monday morning that the Mexican government will assist individuals who send money to Mexico from the United States if they are affected by a new tax. Photo by @Claudiashein, via X
President Claudia Sheinbaum announced on Monday morning that the Mexican government will assist individuals who send money to Mexico from the United States if they are affected by a new tax. Photo by @Claudiashein, via X

Texas Border Business

Texas Border Business

June 30, 2025, | Mexico City – President Claudia Sheinbaum announced on Monday morning that the Mexican government will assist individuals who send money to Mexico from the United States if they are affected by a new tax.

At her daily press conference, known as La Mañanera, Sheinbaum discussed a new U.S. proposal to impose a 1% tax on cash sent from the U.S. to other countries, including Mexico. She explained that this tax would not apply to money sent electronically, only to cash.

The original plan in the U.S. was to set the tax at 5%, but the House of Representatives changed it to 3.5%. Now, the U.S. Senate has brought it down to 1%, but only for cash transfers.

Sheinbaum said this change is thanks to the efforts of Mexicans living in the U.S., many of whom wrote letters to American lawmakers. “That success is because of our people,” she said. “Especially those with dual citizenship who sent letters to senators.”

The tax is part of a hefty bill being discussed in the U.S. Senate, known as Donald Trump’s “One Big, Beautiful Bill.” The bill hasn’t passed yet, but if it does, the tax would only apply to cash remittances, not to money sent through apps or banks.

President Sheinbaum pointed out that most people send money electronically—about 99% of remittances to Mexico, according to the Bank of Mexico—so very few people would be affected by the tax.

But for the small number of people who still use cash, Sheinbaum said the government will offer a refund. “This Friday, we’ll announce a special program to refund that 1% tax,” she said. The refund will be made through the Finabien card, a government financial card used by many Mexicans.

What You Need to Know:
            • The U.S. may tax cash transfers to Mexico at a rate of 1%.
            • Electronic transfers (used by almost everyone) will not be taxed.
            • Mexico will refund the 1% tax for people who send money in cash.
            • More details will be announced this Friday.

Edinburg Gears Up for Spectacular Independence Day Celebration

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Edinburg Gears Up for Spectacular Independence Day Celebration
The Edinburg Chamber of Commerce is proud to announce the return of Texas Cook’Em: High Steaks in Edinburg, set to take place on Friday, July 4, 2025, at the Ebony Hills Golf Course. Courtesy image

Texas Border Business

EDINBURG, Texas – The Edinburg Chamber of Commerce is proud to announce the return of Texas Cook’Em: High Steaks in Edinburg, set to take place on Friday, July 4, 2025, at the Ebony Hills Golf Course. This annual free Independence Day event is expected to be the biggest and most exciting yet, featuring a full day of live entertainment, family-friendly attractions, and one of Texas’ premier steak BBQ cook-offs.

Courtesy image

The celebration will include the Cars & Stripes Auto Show, presented by Bert Ogden Buick GMC, showcasing an impressive lineup of classic and custom vehicles. A Family Fun Zone, presented by the Omar Ochoa Law Firm, and an array of food and craft vendors. 

Don’t miss the fireworks. Courtesy image

Live music performances by top tribute acts will include Garth Live! The Ultimate Garth Brooks Tribute, Fooz Fighters, and Red – A Taylor Swift Tribute. The evening will conclude with the H-E-B Sizzle & Stripes Fireworks Show at 9:00 PM, lighting up the Edinburg sky in true patriotic fashion.

One of the day’s standout moments will be the Freedom Skydive Jump, presented by J. Gonzalez Law Firm, where expert skydivers will soar over the event grounds with the American flag in a breathtaking tribute to our nation.

Come out and have some fun with the family. Courtesy image

Texas Cook’Em will once again host elite BBQ competitors from across the Lone Star State, all vying for $12,500 in cash prizes. The CBA Grand Champion will earn a coveted invitation to the American Royal World Series of Barbecue, the largest championship BBQ cook-off in the world, while the SCA steak winner will qualify for the SCA World Championship.

The Edinburg Chamber of Commerce extends its gratitude to the 2025 Texas Cook’Em sponsors: City of Edinburg, Edinburg EDC, Explore Edinburg, H-E-B, Bert Ogden Buick GMC, J. Gonzalez Law Firm, Omar Ochoa Law Firm, and Martin Farm & Ranch Supply.

For event details or to register as a competitor, visit https://edinburg.com/texas-cookem-high-steaks-in-edinburg/ or call 956-383-4974.

See related story:

Texas Cook’Em Festivities to Bring Road Closures And Traffic Changes, July 4th

Cornyn Statement on Senate Passage of President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill

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Cornyn Statement on Senate Passage of President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill
“By passing the One Big Beautiful Bill, the Senate has delivered on President Trump’s hallmark legislative priority of his second term,” said Sen. Cornyn. Image for illustration purposes
“By passing the One Big Beautiful Bill, the Senate has delivered on President Trump’s hallmark legislative priority of his second term,” said Sen. Cornyn. Image for illustration purposes

Texas Border Business

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) released the following statement after the Senate passed the One Big Beautiful Bill:

“By passing the One Big Beautiful Bill, the Senate has delivered on President Trump’s hallmark legislative priority of his second term,” said Sen. Cornyn. “This bill puts Texans first by avoiding a massive tax increase on hardworking families, making historic investments to help secure our southern border, reducing financial barriers for Texans exercising their Second Amendment rights, and other priorities I have championed like reimbursing Texas for Operation Lone Star and allowing for the movement of the Space Shuttle Discovery to its rightful home in Houston. I was proud to cast my vote in strong support of this significant legislation, and I urge the House to swiftly send it to President Trump’s desk to become law so we can Make America Great Again.”

Background:

The One Big Beautiful Billcontains the following provisions championed by Sen. Cornyn:

  • $13.5 billion to reimburse states like Texas for stepping up and trying to secure the southern border during the Biden-Harris administration;
  • Language that would result in the consideration of movement of the Space Shuttle Discovery from Virginia to its rightful home near the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston;
  • A modified version of his Small Business Investment Act, which would make it easier for small and start-up businesses to access the financing they need to grow and succeed;
  • Provisions from his Feral Swine Eradication Act to provide $105 million to the Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program;
  • And the reduction of burdensome taxes on certain firearms and silencers to $0.

It also includes the following tax provisions to benefit Texas families:

  • Prevents a more-than $3,000 tax hike on the average Texas family;
  • Protects more than half a million Texas jobs from being lost;
  • Ensures more than 3.7 million Texas households’ child tax credit is not cut in half;
  • Shields more than two million Texas small business owners from a massive tax hike;
  • Makes sure more than 12 million Texas families’ standard deduction is not cut in half;
  • Establishes work requirements for able-bodied adults who are choosing not to work and do not have dependent children or elderly parents in their care;
  • And ensures no taxes on tips or overtime for millions of tipped and hourly workers.

The bill also makes historic investments in border security through the following provisions:

  • $46.5 billion for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to build the border wall and associated infrastructure like access roads, cameras, lights, and sensors;
  • $4.1 billion for a border personnel surge;
  • $45 billion for the detention of illegal migrants;
  • $6.1 billion for improvements to surveillance at the border;
  • Funding for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to increase staffing and enhance migrant screening and vetting processes;
  • Resources for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to increase recruitment, onboarding, and retention of ICE staff;
  • Funding for the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to hire more immigration judges and staff to address the yearslong backlog of immigration cases and to investigate and prosecute immigration matters;
  • And additional resources for law enforcement officers who put their lives on the line to keep our communities safe.

Senator John Cornyn, a Republican from Texas, is a member of the Senate Finance, Judiciary, Intelligence, Foreign Relations, and Budget Committees.

Information source: Office of Senator Cornyn

Sen. Cruz Statement on Senate Passage of One, Big, Beautiful Bill 

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Sen. Cruz Statement on Senate Passage of One, Big, Beautiful Bill 
Sen. Cruz said, “Today, we delivered on our promise to the American people to cut taxes, create jobs, support working Americans, and transformationally invest in our children. Image for illustration purposes
Sen. Cruz said, “Today, we delivered on our promise to the American people to cut taxes, create jobs, support working Americans, and transformationally invest in our children. Image for illustration purposes

Texas Border Business

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today,U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) issued the following statement after the U.S. Senate passed the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB). The OBBB includes key language authored by Sen. Cruz, including Trump Accounts, the No Tax on Tips Act, and two historic school choice initiatives.

Sen. Cruz said, “Today, we delivered on our promise to the American people to cut taxes, create jobs, support working Americans, and transformationally invest in our children.

“For over a decade, I have led the fight in the U.S. Senate for school choice. Today, the Senate passed my legislation to provide billions of dollars in K–12 scholarships for kids across the nation. This historic investment represents the largest federal school choice program ever passed.

“The OBBB also includes my No Tax on Tips Act to help waiters and waitresses, bartenders, taxi drivers, barbers, and hairdressers all across America. We also mandated the auction of 800 MHz of spectrum, which will enable us to beat China in the race to 6G—resulting in billions in new investments and the creation of hundreds of thousands of jobs.

“The Senate also passed my legislation creating Trump Accounts—personal investment accounts for every child in America—which will unleash the power of compound growth and create new generations of capitalists.

“I am also pleased to see the inclusion of our State Border Security Assistance Act, which is crucial for reimbursing the state of Texas for funds spent during the Biden administration’s illegal alien invasion.

“I strongly urge my colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives to put American families first and retain these vital provisions in the final version of the One Big, Beautiful Bill.”

Information source: Office of Senator Cruz

Senate Approves One Big Beautiful Bill Act

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Senate Approves One Big Beautiful Bill Act
The legislation advanced after a 50–50 tie vote was broken by Vice President JD Vance, who cast the deciding vote in his role as President of the Senate. Image: Public Domain. bgd for illustration purposes
The legislation advanced after a 50–50 tie vote was broken by Vice President JD Vance, who cast the deciding vote in his role as President of the Senate. Image: Public Domain. bgd for illustration purposes

Texas Border Business

Texas Border Business

WASHINGTON—The U.S. Senate passed its version of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act shortly after midday on July 1, following an extended period of debate and a marathon voting session that lasted through the night. The legislation advanced after a 50–50 tie vote was broken by Vice President JD Vance, who cast the deciding vote in his role as President of the Senate.

The vote followed several weeks of contentious deliberations over the bill’s provisions. Lawmakers from both parties offered numerous amendments during the final stages of consideration. On June 30, the Senate entered into a “vote-a-rama,” a continuous sequence of amendment votes that began in the afternoon and continued into the early hours of July 1.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer required that the full text of the bill be read aloud on the Senate floor before voting began. The move, though procedural, added several hours to the session and drew criticism from some senators who described it as a delay tactic.

Sens. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), and Susan Collins (R-Maine) voted against the bill. Their opposition did not alter the outcome, as the evenly split chamber allowed Vice President Vance to cast the tie-breaking vote.

The bill now moves to the House of Representatives, where further debate and potential amendments are expected.

Harlingen Business Pitch Competition Returns for 2025

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Harlingen Business Pitch Competition Returns for 2025
 Ten applicants will be selected to participate in a 10-week accelerator program, meeting every Monday from July 21 through September 22 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Courtesy image. Person for illustration purposes
 Ten applicants will be selected to participate in a 10-week accelerator program, meeting every Monday from July 21 through September 22 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Courtesy image. Person for illustration purposes

Texas Border Business

HARLINGEN, Texas — Entrepreneurs and early-stage startup companies are invited to apply for the 2025 RISE Up Harlingen Business Pitch Competition, brought to you by the Harlingen Economic Development Corporation (EDC) and the UTRGV Entrepreneurship and Commercialization Center (ECC).

Back for a second year and powered by the AdvanceUp Accelerator course, RISE Up Harlingen aims to provide a platform for entrepreneurs to showcase their innovative ideas and receive critical business development support. Ten applicants will be selected to participate in a 10-week accelerator program, meeting every Monday from July 21 through September 22 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Courtesy image

The program will provide mentorship, resources, and network opportunities leading up to a live pitch event at the Harlingen Convention Center on Wednesday, October 1. Finalists will present their business concepts to a panel of judges for a chance to win the following grant awards: $30,000 for first place, $20,000 for second place, and $15,000 for third place.

To be eligible for RISE Up Harlingen, participants must either currently operate or commit to establishing their business in the City of Harlingen, Texas.

“This competition is more than critical funding—it’s a launchpad for innovation in Harlingen,” said Orlando Campos, CEO of the Harlingen EDC. “While RISE Up Harlingen helps turn ideas into thriving businesses, it’s also strengthening our city’s position as a hub for creativity and economic growth.”

The deadline to apply for RISE Up Harlingen is Tuesday, July 15, 2025. Space is limited; entrepreneurs are encouraged to apply now at www.harlingenedc.com/riseupharlingen.

For more information about RISE Up Harlingen, please contact the Harlingen EDC’s Small Business and Startup Specialist, Maria Escobar, at 956-966-2692 or mescobar@harlingenedc.com.

How Harlingen’s Mayor Turns Mornings into Meaning

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How Harlingen’s Mayor Turns Mornings into Meaning
Mayor Norma Sepulveda shares a joyful moment with Harlingen residents during the latest “Coffee with the Mayor” — a morning filled with conversation, community spirit, and commitment to wellness. Image FB
Mayor Norma Sepulveda shares a joyful moment with Harlingen residents during the latest “Coffee with the Mayor” — a morning filled with conversation, community spirit, and commitment to wellness. Image FB

Texas Border Business

Texas Border Business

According to Mayor Norma Sepulveda, last week’s “This morning’s Coffee with the Mayor was a much‑needed breath of fresh air. With all the noise and negativity online lately, today filled my cup in more ways than one.” The monthly event, held at the Harlingen Community Center and hosted by Sepulveda “every month … at local businesses in our community”, brings together residents, instructors, business owners, and local leaders in an informal morning gathering.

Sepulveda remarked, “When you’re surrounded by people who truly love the City of Harlingen and want to see it thrive, you feel it.” During this session, “our incredible instructors were there giving insight into their classes. There were giveaways, laughs, and a strong sense of community,” she added.

The event also highlighted contributions from Healthy Harlingen Chair Jessica, who “shared more about the mission and brought some goodies too.” Southern Rose Coffee served as the event’s beverage partner, and Sepulveda noted, “On. Point. I tried an Almond Joy latte, and what happened next gave me chills.”

This moment carried deep personal meaning for the mayor. “That was my mom’s favorite candy… yesterday marked 5 years since she passed. … When they suggested I try that drink, it felt like she was nudging me, like she was saying, I’m here, and it’s okay. They didn’t know. But I knew. And I’m grateful.”

Sepulveda was moved further when “the Southern Rose team didn’t just serve the coffee—they joined the spin class when we wrapped up! That’s Harlingen, y’all. Show up, lift each other up, and break a sweat doing it.”

Facebook reflections from attendees add depth to the mayor’s sentiments:

            •           Ruben Garcia: “This was such a great turnout! Southern Rose Coffee is blessed to be part of a great, growing city with strong leadership. And our daughter had the biggest smile, knowing we served the mayor today.”

            •           Juju Stringfield: “It was a fabulous and uplifting event, and you, Mayor, received a whisper from Heaven.”

Research indicates that “Coffee with the Mayor” has been a recurring monthly event since at least early 2025, with the county’s Cameron County Pct. 4 Events calendar featuring a session on January 14, 2025. Additionally, the Harlingen Facebook page promoted a June 25 session, confirming its ongoing scheduling.

Mayor Sepulveda’s consistent hosting of these gatherings highlights her commitment to community engagement. She emphasized her gratitude and determination to continue the series: “Feeling grateful. And feeling ready to keep pushing forward. Hope to see you at a class soon!”

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