Photo Credit: Delcia Lopez/THE MONITOR
An ICE agent conducting surveillance on Mexican traffickers doing business on US soil was shot this morning outside Hargill, Texas. A spokesperson for DHS has issued the following statement:
“ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent Kelton Harrison is in stable condition at the McAllen Medical Hospital. Special Agent Harrison was shot early Tuesday morning while conducting surveillance in a brushy area just outside of Hargill, Texas. The surveillance is part of an ongoing criminal investigation.
Special Agent Harrison has been with the ICE HSI McAllen office since 2010. HSI is currently investigating the shooting with the assistance of the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), Texas Rangers, Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI.”
As they used to say on TV’s Dragnet: just the facts, lady.
And that’s all you’re getting from ICE’s Office of Public Affairs.
But it’s the details, according to inside sources, that make Agent Kelton Harrison’s story important, and here they are.
Word is that ICE agents (now tagged HSI, or Homeland Security Investigation agents) have been instructed not to draw attention to themselves or any efforts they may mount to interdict drugs trafficked in the the US from Mexico. They are also nought to publicize just how audacious cartel drug runners have become, trafficking openly on US soil–agents are to downplay conflict with the Mexican cartels.
Indeed, ICE insiders say the current “standing order” to US drug interdiction agents along the SW border is to run and hid whenever confronted by armed drug-toting cartel members–”Do not engage.”
ICE, or HSI, agents have even been advised not to wear identifying gear–hats or jackets marked ICE or HSI–while on surveillance.
Conversely, the orders issued to the Zetas, or whichever gang traffickers happen to be involved, is “lose a load and lose your life.”
Clearly, Special Agent Kelton Harrison, who had been following drug traffickers he believed were unloading drug shipments at a location near Hargill, cared less about avoiding publicity than he did about doing what he believed was his sworn duty.
Harrison followed the traffickers to what he believed was their designated drop, at which point a vehicle driven by alleged gang members spotted the ICE agent and circled around; and, in an offensive move, confronted Harrison, shooting the drug agent (who, to his credit, fought back) in the conflict that ensued.
So far it appears that the Mexican traffickers can return to their superiors for the “attaboy” they deserve. Despite the attempt by Special Agent Harrison, cartel couriers in charge of delivering their load appear to have succeeded–no going home without their drugs or drug money.
SA Harrison, on the other hand, may not receive the commendation he deserves for ‘engaging’ with cartel traffickers whose presence in the US higher-ups in DHS and Washington prefer to ignore.
