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Is Ojinaga Safe? Presidio Border Crossing, Advisory and News (2026)

CBP officers at the Presidio, Texas port of entry
Photo: US Customs and Border Protection, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Is Ojinaga–Presidio border crossing safe to visit? Here is the current U.S. State Department advisory for the state it’s in, official safety guidance, which criminal groups are reported in the area, and our latest coverage. Conditions change; check the full advisory before you travel.

All destinations and border crossings · Mexico travel and border-crossing safety guide

Top photo: CBP officers at the Presidio, Texas port of entry. Photo: US Customs and Border Protection, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

At a glance

  • U.S. advisory for Chihuahua: Level 3: Reconsider travel (issued 2026-05-29)
  • Groups reported in Chihuahua: 6; strongest: Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), Juárez Cartel / La Línea, Sinaloa Cartel

How to read this page

  • Official: the advisory level, quote and guidance come from the U.S. State Department and other government sources, with dates.
  • Reported: cartel presence is what research groups and news reports say about the whole state. It is not a statement about tourist zones, hotels or specific neighborhoods.
  • Our coverage: the latest-stories list is The Narco Blog’s own reporting, linked to its sources.
  • What it doesn’t tell you: real-time conditions. Check the full advisory, U.S. consulate alerts and local authorities before you go. We are a news site, not a travel authority.

U.S. travel advisory for Chihuahua

Level 3: Reconsider travel (Mexico advisory issued 2026-05-29).

Reconsider travel due to terrorism, crime, and kidnapping.

Read the full advisory at travel.state.gov

Criminal groups reported in Chihuahua

Reported presence is state-wide and as stated by each source; it doesn’t describe any specific neighborhood or tourist zone.

Recent incidents

Selected security incidents reported in or near Ojinaga–Presidio border crossing since 2024 by official sources and established outlets, newest first. This is a selection of coverage, not a crime rate, a forecast or a measure of risk to visitors. Unverified reports (social media, video channels, blogs) are not shown.

  • 2026-09-12: Chihuahua state police helicopter ambushed near Coyame, officer critically wounded, Sept 12, 2026. Gunmen ambushed a Chihuahua state police helicopter near Coyame del Sotol, about 100 miles southeast of Ojinaga, on September 12, 2026; an officer was critically wounded and the aircraft was struck by gunfire. [El Paso Times, 2026-09-12 · news/research]
  • 2026-06-01: Four men found killed on the Aldama–Ojinaga highway. Four men were found killed on the Aldama–Ojinaga highway, per Azteca Chihuahua reporting. (4 killed) [Azteca Chihuahua, 2026-06-01 · news/research]
  • 2026-01-31: 44 killed in 16 months along the Aldama–Ojinaga corridor. Ego Chihuahua tallied 44 killings over 16 months along the Aldama–Ojinaga corridor, roughly September 2024 through January 2026. (44 killed) [Ego Chihuahua, 2026-01-31 · news/research]
  • 2026-01-31: 37 disappearances recorded along the Aldama–Ojinaga corridor, Aug 2024–Jan 2026. Ego Chihuahua documented 37 disappearances along the Aldama–Ojinaga corridor between August 2024 and January 2026, describing enforced disappearance as routine in the region. [Ego Chihuahua, 2026-01-31 · news/research]
  • 2025-10-01: More than 30 Centinela surveillance cameras knocked down in Ojinaga. Criminals knocked down more than 30 Centinela surveillance cameras in Ojinaga, per Ego Chihuahua, blinding part of the state's monitoring network. [Ego Chihuahua, 2025-10-01 · news/research]
  • 2024-09-21: 11 bodies found behind CFE facilities in Ojinaga, Sept 21, 2024. Eleven bodies were found behind Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) facilities in Ojinaga on September 21, 2024, amid the La Linea versus 'El 04'/Los Cabrera dispute, with reports of a Durango-based cartel entering the area. (11 killed) [Cartel Insider, 2024-09-21 · news/research]
  • 2024-09-08: Shootouts in Ojinaga, Manuel Benavides and Coyame left four dead and one wounded, Sept 8, 2024. Armed clashes across Ojinaga, Manuel Benavides and Coyame on September 8, 2024 left four people dead and one wounded, per Centro Noticias and the Chihuahua state prosecutor. (4 killed) [Centro Noticias, 2024-09-08 · news/research]

Practical safety tips

  • The U.S. State Department rates Chihuahua at Level 3 (Reconsider Travel) due to crime and kidnapping, which covers Ojinaga. [U.S. Department of State · official record]
  • Unlike some Sonora and Tamaulipas border cities, the Chihuahua advisory permits overnight stays in Ojinaga when reached via the Presidio corridor. [U.S. Department of State · official record]
  • With 44 killings tallied along the Aldama–Ojinaga corridor over 16 months, travelers should stay on the US-67/Presidio corridor and avoid the Aldama–Ojinaga highway. [Ego Chihuahua · news/research]
  • The September 2024 shootouts spanned Ojinaga, Manuel Benavides and Coyame; tourists should avoid rural roads in that triangle entirely. [Centro Noticias · news/research]
  • The September 2026 ambush of a state police helicopter near Coyame underscores the risk level in the rural areas southeast of Ojinaga. [El Paso Times · news/research]
  • The Angeles Verdes' free 078 line and mobile app provide roadside and tourist assistance on Chihuahua's highways, 8:00am–8:00pm daily. [CCO Noticias · news/research]
  • U.S. citizens visiting Ojinaga should enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program and watch U.S. consulate security alerts for Chihuahua. [U.S. Embassy Mexico · official record]
  • Even with overnight stays permitted in Ojinaga itself, all driving in the surrounding region should be done in daylight. [U.S. Department of State · official record]
  • Mexico's national emergency number is 911; save it and the nearest U.S. consulate's contact before crossing at Presidio. [U.S. Embassy Mexico · official record]
  • Limit an Ojinaga visit to the town center and the direct route to the Presidio port; skip side trips into the surrounding desert and ranch country. [U.S. Department of State · official record]
  • Leave your crossing time, route, and expected return with someone you trust, and check in on schedule — especially important in this remote region. [U.S. Department of State · official record]
  • The Presidio–Ojinaga region is remote desert; carry extra drinking water, keep the fuel tank above half, and have a spare tire and jack you know how to use. [U.S. Department of State · official record]
  • If you encounter an improvised roadblock or strangers flagging you down on rural roads, do not stop; turn around if safe or proceed with caution to the nearest town. [U.S. Department of State · official record]
  • Carry only needed cash and avoid displaying jewelry, watches, or expensive electronics in Ojinaga. [U.S. Department of State · official record]

Crossing the border here

  • CBP lists the Presidio, Texas port of entry office as operating 24 hours a day. [U.S. Customs and Border Protection · official record]
  • Commercial processing at the Presidio port of entry runs 9:00am–7:00pm Central time, Monday through Friday, per CBP. [U.S. Customs and Border Protection · official record]
  • CBP lists vehicle export processing at Presidio from 12:00pm to 8:00pm, Monday through Friday. [U.S. Customs and Border Protection · official record]
  • The State Department's Chihuahua advisory (Level 3) allows travel to Ojinaga via U.S. Highway 67 through Presidio, with overnight stays permitted — a more permissive posture than for some other border cities. [U.S. Department of State · official record]
  • The Presidio–Ojinaga crossing serves a remote desert region with long distances between services; fuel up, carry water, and stock supplies in Presidio before crossing. [U.S. Department of State · official record]
  • CBP publishes live border wait times travelers should check before the long drive to the Presidio crossing. [U.S. Customs and Border Protection · official record]
  • With commercial processing only on weekday mornings-to-evenings, freight dispatchers should schedule Presidio crossings within the 9am–7pm Central weekday window. [U.S. Customs and Border Protection · official record]
  • U.S. Highway 67 to Presidio crosses isolated desert; make the drive in daylight, keep the tank full, and let someone know your expected arrival. [U.S. Department of State · official record]

Check CBP border wait times before you go.

Groups reported around Ojinaga–Presidio border crossing

  • Reporting on the September 2024 Ojinaga violence frames it as a fight between La Linea (armed wing of the Juarez Cartel) and 'El 04'/Los Cabrera for control of the border trafficking route for drugs and weapons. [Ego Chihuahua · news/research]
  • A September 2026 criminal-mapping report described the La Linea versus Los Cabrera fight over Chihuahua corridors, including Ojinaga, as running for more than four years. [Radar Noticias · news/research]
  • On July 16, 2026 the United States designated La Linea and the Juarez Cartel as Foreign Terrorist Organizations, per Plumas del Golfo citing national coverage. [Plumas del Golfo · news/research]
  • A one-year retrospective on the September 2024 Ojinaga massacre described the La Linea versus Los Cabrera dispute as still marking the region a year later. [Cartel Insider · news/research]
  • Reporting on the September 2024 Ojinaga massacre mentioned the entry of a Durango-based cartel into the local dispute alongside La Linea and Los Cabrera. [Cartel Insider · news/research]
  • A narcomanta (cartel banner) was reported alongside the September 2024 Ojinaga-area violence, a standard cartel signaling tactic in the disputed corridor. [Ego Chihuahua · news/research]

Latest coverage

Read our latest stories about Ojinaga →

Last reviewed: September 30, 2026. Territory, leadership and advisories change; tell us about errors via our corrections page.