Gulf Cartel gunman arrested in Texas now charged with terrorism support

Border agents apprehended 21-year-old Jose Flores Flores in Mission, Texas, shortly after he crossed the Rio Grande from Mexico. He was first charged with illegal re-entry, reflecting his prior immigration offenses. In August, a superseding federal indictment added charges of providing material support to the Gulf Cartel, which the United States lists as a foreign terrorist organization.

According to the indictment, Flores Flores conducted law-enforcement surveillance, served as an armed operative, and assisted in the disposal of cartel victims’ bodies. The Gulf Cartel has been linked to numerous hidden graves and incineration sites in the Tamaulipas region. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has claimed a drop in the national murder rate, a point contested by opponents who cite uncounted cartel graves. The case underscores cross-border criminal networks and U.S. efforts to target them under terrorism statutes.