Chief Michael W. Banks, Chief of the U.S. Border Patrol, reported on recent enforcement actions and ongoing border security measures in a series of posts on X between December 12 and December 13, 2025.
On December 12, Banks posted about an incident in Laredo, Texas: "VIOLENT SMUGGLER ARRESTED AFTER ASSAULTING AGENT LAREDO, TX – USBP agents arrested a 19-year-old Mexican national who assaulted a federal agent while smuggling four illegal aliens across the Rio Grande. The suspect faces federal charges for assault and alien smuggling. The four https://t.co/h4P6TWY5YO". According to the post, the individual involved was apprehended after allegedly assaulting a federal agent during an attempt to smuggle four people across the Rio Grande. The suspect now faces federal charges related to both assault and alien smuggling.
Later that day, Banks provided an update on broader border security efforts: "CBP continues to create visible transformation on the border – both through the construction of border wall, deployment of concertina wire, and through deployment of agents along the most remote areas of the Southwest border. https://t.co/4adQYIFgtE". In this statement, he highlighted ongoing infrastructure improvements and increased patrols as part of U.S. Customs and Border Protection's (CBP) strategy to secure remote stretches of the Southwest border.
On December 13, Banks described another arrest in Brownsville, Texas: "Adult Posing as Minor Arrested in Brownsville, TX A Guatemalan national was apprehended after attempting to enter the U.S. as an unaccompanied minor using falsified documents. USBP and the Department of Health and Human Services investigated and confirmed he was not a juvenile. https://t.co/WC8QAwELpK". The post details how authorities determined that a Guatemalan national had attempted entry into the United States by posing as an unaccompanied minor with false documentation; subsequent investigation confirmed he was not underage.
The events described by Chief Banks reflect ongoing challenges faced by CBP at various points along the U.S.-Mexico border. Efforts such as infrastructure expansion—including additional fencing and surveillance technology—have been part of broader attempts to address unauthorized crossings and related criminal activity over recent years.
