The U.S. State Department is warning Americans not to travel to the Mexican city on the border with Texas after receiving reports of “violent criminal activity.”
The U.S. Embassy and Consulate in Mexico said U.S. government employees have been ordered to stay away from the Reynosa area, a city of about 700,000 residents near McAllen, Texas.
“The U.S. Consulate in Matamoros has received reports of violent criminal activity, including roadblocks in Reynosa,” the advisory said, urging all Americans there to “be aware of your surroundings,” remain “on high alert” and “keep a low profile.”
The McAllen-Hidalgo International Bridge connects Reynosa to Texas. The U.S. State Department has issued “Level 2 – Increased Alert” for all of Mexico, but in the state of Tamaulipas, where Reynosa is located, the risk has been raised to “Level 4 – Do Not Travel” due to “terrorism, crime and kidnapping.”
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A member of the Mexican army stood guard behind a truck after a member of the music group Grupo Fugitivo was found dead on May 29, 2025 in Reynosa, Mexico.
(Reuters)
“The state presents a risk of violence from terrorist groups, cartels, gangs and criminal organizations,” the State Department said.
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“Organized criminal activity is common along the northern border and in Victoria City. These include shootouts, murders, armed robberies, carjackings, kidnappings, enforced disappearances, extortion and sexual assaults,” the report added.
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The U.S. State Department advisory noted that U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents “are victims of kidnapping.”
On February 18, 2025, vehicles drove along the road near the International Bridge in Reynosa, Mexico.
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“Heavily armed members of criminal gangs frequently patrol the state, particularly along the border area from Reynosa to Nuevo Laredo,” the report also warned. “They operate in these areas without fear of punishment, and local law enforcement has limited capacity to respond to crime.”
Original source of the article: U.S. State Department urges Americans to avoid Mexican cities on Texas border