Part 8/12:
Enemies at the Border: Cartels, Terrorists, and Dangerous Criminals
Owens describes the diverse threats crossing the border: drug cartels, human traffickers, terrorists, and hardened criminals like sexual predators and violent offenders. The influx of fentanyl, for example, has devastating impacts on communities, and cartels' destabilization efforts threaten both border regions and the interior of the U.S.
He vividly recalls tragic incidents, such as migrants dying in tractor trailers or drowning in treacherous waters, underscoring the humanitarian toll and moral toll on agents. "Our agents see all sides—trying to save lives and prevent horrors—yet they carry the emotional scars of that work," Owens notes.