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Mexico’s security forces announced on February 22, 2026, that they killed Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes — known as El Mencho — during a targeted operation in Tapalpa, Jalisco, dealing a decisive blow to the murderous Jalisco New Generation Cartel. This was not a small-time bust but the takedown of the man who for years directed waves of fentanyl and violence across our border.
U.S. authorities played a supporting role, providing critical intelligence to Mexican forces and carrying a long-standing $15 million reward for leads on El Mencho’s whereabouts, underscoring how bipartisan pressure and cooperation can yield results. This was the kind of cross-border coordination Washington should pursue more often — not the hollow, rights-first rhetoric we hear from the left.
Make no mistake: the CJNG was a direct national security threat to the United States, funneling massive quantities of fentanyl and other deadly drugs into American communities and using military-grade weapons to enforce a reign of terror. The death of their leader is a strategic victory, but it is not the end of the fight; dismantling their networks will require sustained pressure and an unwavering commitment to stop the flow of poison.
Predictably, the cartel lashed out in retaliation with narcobloqueos, burning vehicles and attacks across multiple states — a reminder that these are not political actors but brutal criminal enterprises that respond to strength with chaos. Mexican governors declared emergencies and travel advisories rippled through affected regions, proving the immediate stakes for regional stability and for Americans who travel or live near the border.
Back home, Texas Congressman Dan Crenshaw rightly called El Mencho a “major threat,” a sentiment he emphasized on Fox’s Sunday program while tying the operation to broader debates about border security and voter integrity. Conservatives should welcome this moment of clarity: when the rule of law is enforced and priorities are set straight, our national security improves and our communities become safer.
This victory should harden, not soften, American resolve. We need secure borders, uncompromising law enforcement cooperation with friendly partners, and policies that choke the supply of deadly drugs before they reach our towns and schools. Voter ID and sensible election integrity measures are part of the same common-sense agenda: put the safety and sovereignty of the American people first.
The bloodshed in Jalisco proves the stakes are real and urgent, and it exposes the weakness of those who fetishize open borders and soft-on-crime approaches. Conservatives must use this moment to push for tougher border enforcement, stronger international partnerships against narco-terrorism, and accountability from any politician who places ideology over the safety of hardworking American families.
