Coast Guard Returns Fire After Gunmen Shoot From Mexican Side Near Garceno, Texas

U.S. Coast Guard personnel exchanged gunfire with shooters on the Mexican side of the Rio Grande on Sept. 26 near Garceno, a small town in Starr County, Texas, officials confirmed Friday.

The incident occurred while Coast Guard crews, working alongside other federal agencies, were intercepting migrants crossing the river during joint border operations. Officials said gunshots were fired first from the Mexican side, and Coast Guard personnel returned fire. It remains unclear who fired first.

No injuries to Coast Guard or other personnel were reported, and no damage to Coast Guard assets or equipment occurred, the agency said. The Coast Guard said it is investigating the exchange with its federal partners.

U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ronald Johnson said the American embassy is coordinating with Mexican forces now being deployed to the area where the shots were fired.

“Mexican military commanders will communicate directly with the U.S. forces deployed. Together, we intend to patrol both sides of our shared border, protect our communities, and disrupt the operations of criminal and terrorist organizations. Any threat from criminal or terrorist elements on either side of the border will be addressed swiftly,” Johnson said.

The shooting comes as both governments ramp up security along this stretch of the border. The U.S. military has repositioned hundreds of troops and equipment to Texas’ Rio Grande Valley, while Mexico has sent 500 Army and National Guard personnel to its side of the border.

The Joint Task Force-Southern Border, in a statement, pointed to the Sept. 26 incident as evidence of a broader trend. “The Sept. 26 Coast Guard encounter is an example of this uptick in illegal activity,” the task force said, citing what it described as historically observed seasonal increases in attempted illegal crossings.

Operation River Wall

The Coast Guard launched Operation River Wall in October 2025, surging additional personnel, boats and other assets to patrol roughly 260 miles of the Rio Grande along the U.S.-Mexico border. The agency said it is working closely with Border Patrol, the Pentagon and the Texas Military Department to secure the border and disrupt illegal activity.

“We will continue to leverage a layered, integrated approach to control, secure and defend the border that strengthens our collective ability to counter illicit activity and safeguard our personnel and the communities we serve,” the Coast Guard said.