No, Texas has not been invaded
An Internet rumor has been spreading for hours now claiming that Los Zetas, a notorious and extremely violent Mexican drug gang, has crossed the border and taken over two ranches near Laredo. The source seems to be a blog called Diggers Realm. See also this breathless account at examiner.com:
In what could be deemed an act of war against the sovereign borders of the United States, Mexican drug cartels have seized control of at least two American ranches inside the U.S. territory near Laredo, Texas.
Two sources inside the Laredo Police Department confirmed the incident is unfolding and they would continue to coordinate with U.S. Border Patrol today. “We consider this an act of war,” said one police officer on the ground near the scene. There is a news blackout of this incident at this time and the sources inside Laredo PD spoke on the condition of anonymity.
Word broke late last night that Laredo police have requested help from the federal government regarding the incursion by the Los Zetas. It appears that the ranch owners have escaped without incident but their ranches remain in the hands of the blood thirsty cartels.
Laredo Border Patrol is conducting aerial surveillance over the ranches to determine the best way to regain control of the U.S. ranches, according to the Laredo Police department.
One problem: It’s not true. Bob Owens of Confederate Yankee took the unusual and daring step of actually calling the Laredo PD and the local sheriff’s office to get the true story. Here’s a part of what he learned:
[Laredo PD Sgt. Perez] also provided me the number of the Sheriff’s Department. The deputy that answered the phone there was less bemused, having also dealt with this rumor multiple times in a short amount of time. She also told me that there was no invasion and no law enforcement siege, and that deputies were continuing normal operations.
So where and how Digger and Examiner.com’s Kimberly Dvorak got their “confirmations, ” I have no idea. But a simple phone call to the relevant authorities showed this was just another Internet myth.
What I do know, however, is that the situation on our border is serious and the dangers faced there are real. Those of us concerned about border security -and on the Right in general- face a hostile mainstream media and political elite looking for anything they can use to dismiss us and smear us as racists and extremists in need of being controlled.
Let’s not give them any ammunition, okay?
UPDATE: The Laredo Morning Times hasn’t heard of any trouble, either. You’d think the local paper would know, wouldn’t you?
(Crossposted at Public Secrets)