Is Nuevo Laredo Safe Right Now? Laredo Border Crossing, Advisory and Cartel News (2026)

Is Nuevo Laredo–Laredo 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.

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Top photo: CBP officers screening arriving travelers at the Laredo, Texas ports of entry. Photo: CBP Photography, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

U.S. travel advisory for Tamaulipas

Level 4: Do not travel (Mexico advisory issued 2026-05-29).

Do not travel due to terrorism, crime, and kidnapping.

Read the full advisory at travel.state.gov

Official safety guidance

• Consulate Matamoros alert (Jun 2025, still posted): disappearances on Monterrey-Reynosa highway; Nuevo Laredo-Monterrey travel limited to Hwy 85D daylight. [U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Mexico, 2025-06-20]

Criminal groups reported in Tamaulipas

• Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG): reported presence, contested (as of 2026) [InSight Crime]
• Gulf Cartel: reported presence, contested (as of 2026) [InSight Crime]
• Cártel del Noreste (CDN): reported presence, contested (as of 2026) [InSight Crime]
• Tren de Aragua: reported presence (as of 2025) [Latin Times]
• Sinaloa Cartel: reported presence (as of 2026) [InSight Crime]
• MS-13: reported presence (as of 2022) [Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (via ecoi.net)]
• Beltrán Leyva Organization: historical presence reported (as of 2026) [InSight Crime]

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

Recent incidents

Notable security incidents reported in or near Nuevo Laredo–Laredo border crossing since 2024, newest first. An incident list is not a measure of risk to visitors.

• 2025-08-06: Franky Esqueda took over CDN tactical operations in Aug 2025 amid helicopter attack and assassination attempt reporting. A 2025 security-library summary reported that Franky Esqueda took over Cartel del Noreste tactical operations in August 2025, and referenced an attack on a SEDENA helicopter during the Gonzalez arrest and a 2025 attempted assassination of a Nuevo Laredo official. [GlobalSecurity.org, 2025-08-06]
• 2025-05-21: U.S. Treasury sanctioned CDN figures De Anda and Gonzalez on May 21, 2025. On May 21, 2025 the U.S. Treasury sanctioned high-ranking Cartel del Noreste members, an action tied to the February 3 arrest of 'El Ricky' Gonzalez and the August 2024 attack on the military. [U.S. Department of the Treasury, 2025-05-21]
• 2025-02-03: 'El Ricky' captured in Nuevo Laredo on Feb 3, 2025, triggering shootouts, blockades and airport closure. The capture of Ricardo Gonzalez Sauceda, alias 'El Ricky', a regional leader of the Cartel del Noreste, in Nuevo Laredo on February 3, 2025 triggered shootouts and blockades across the city, cancellation of flights at the Quetzalcoatl International Airport, and a U.S. consulate shelter-in-place order. (1 arrested) [Irving Pineda, 2025-02-03]
• 2025-02-03: Early-morning shootouts hit Nuevo Laredo and Reynosa on Feb 3, 2025. In the early hours of February 3, 2025, shootouts were reported in both Nuevo Laredo and Reynosa, Tamaulipas, per NTR Zacatecas' roundup of the day's violence. [NTR Zacatecas, 2025-02-03]
• 2024-10-15: President Sheinbaum acknowledged three civilians and a soldier died in two Nuevo Laredo military shootouts, Oct 2024. President Claudia Sheinbaum acknowledged that three civilians and one soldier died in two shootouts involving the military in Nuevo Laredo over a weekend in October 2024, saying the events were under investigation. (4 killed) [LatestLY (AP), 2024-10-15]
• 2024-08-17: Aug 17, 2024 attack on the military in Nuevo Laredo killed two soldiers and wounded five. An August 17, 2024 attack on military personnel in Nuevo Laredo killed two soldiers and wounded five; reporting linked the attack to the Los Chukys cell led by 'El Ricky'. (2 killed) [El Imparcial, 2024-08-17]
• 2020-07-03: Soldiers killed 12 alleged cartel members in a Nuevo Laredo clash near the airport, July 3, 2020. Mexican soldiers killed 12 alleged cartel members, described as wearing military-style gear, in a dawn clash near the Nuevo Laredo airport on July 3, 2020; a 13th body was found later that day. Local outlets linked the dead to the Cartel del Noreste. (12 killed) [Socastsrm (Reuters), 2020-07-03]

Practical safety tips

• The U.S. State Department rates Tamaulipas at Level 4 (Do Not Travel) due to crime and kidnapping, which covers Nuevo Laredo. [U.S. Department of State]
• The Tamaulipas advisory warns that heavily armed organized-crime groups patrol areas including the Reynosa–Nuevo Laredo corridor. [U.S. Department of State]
• When the 'El Ricky' capture shut Nuevo Laredo's airport and triggered blockades, travelers were stranded; anyone visiting should have backup routes and flexible bookings. [Grupo TAO]
• During the February 2025 violence the U.S. consulate in Nuevo Laredo ordered personnel to shelter in place; travelers caught in similar events should do the same until authorities say otherwise. [Nashville Noticias]
• U.S. consulate messaging has warned of disappearances along the Monterrey–Reynosa highway corridor; travelers should factor this into any Tamaulipas road plans. [U.S. Embassy Mexico]
• U.S. guidance for Tamaulipas stresses avoiding travel at night; plan all movement, including bridge crossings, for daylight hours. [U.S. Department of State]
• The Angeles Verdes' free 078 line and mobile app provide roadside and tourist assistance on Tamaulipas highways, 8:00am–8:00pm daily. [CCO Noticias]
• U.S. citizens should enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program and watch U.S. consulate security alerts for fast-changing Tamaulipas conditions. [U.S. Embassy Mexico]
• Mexico's national emergency number is 911; save it and the U.S. consulate's contact before any Nuevo Laredo travel. [U.S. Embassy Mexico]
• Leave crossing times, destinations, and expected return with someone you trust, and check in on schedule. [U.S. Department of State]
• U.S. consulate warnings for the Reynosa–Rio Bravo area have flagged improvised explosive devices on roads; do not touch unknown objects on or near roadways. [KSAT (AP)]
• U.S. consulate guidance for Tamaulipas urges avoiding dirt roads, where IEDs and ambushes are a greater risk. [KSAT (AP)]
• Carry only needed cash and avoid displaying jewelry, watches, or expensive electronics in Nuevo Laredo. [U.S. Department of State]
• Lock your vehicle at all times and take bags, documents, and electronics with you. [U.S. Department of State]

Crossing the border here

• The Colombia Solidarity International Bridge commercial crossing operates 8:00am–12:00am on weekdays and 8:00am–4:00pm on weekends. [U.S. Customs and Border Protection]
• Non-commercial vehicles at the Colombia Solidarity Bridge cross 8:00am–12:00am daily. [U.S. Customs and Border Protection]
• The Lincoln-Juarez (Juarez-Lincoln) International Bridge operates 24 hours a day. [U.S. Customs and Border Protection]
• The World Trade Bridge commercial crossing runs 7:00am–12:00am on weekdays and 8:00am–4:00pm on weekends, with a pilot extending Saturday hours until 7:00pm starting September 5, 2026. [U.S. Customs and Border Protection]
• The Gateway to the Americas International Bridge operates 24 hours for SENTRI traffic and pedestrians. [U.S. Customs and Border Protection]
• The SENTRI enrollment center at the Juarez-Lincoln Bridge operates Monday through Friday, 8:00am–4:00pm. [U.S. Customs and Border Protection]
• AP reporting described Nuevo Laredo as the busiest commercial port on the U.S.-Mexico border, underscoring its freight importance. [SRN News (AP)]
• The violence following the 'El Ricky' capture forced the cancellation of all flights at Nuevo Laredo's Quetzalcoatl International Airport on February 3, 2025, with rebooking for February 4. [Grupo TAO]
• The State Department's Tamaulipas advisory (Level 4: Do Not Travel) places restrictions on U.S. government employee movement, reflecting the risk environment around Nuevo Laredo. [U.S. Department of State]
• CBP publishes live border wait times travelers and truckers should check before driving to the Laredo-area bridges. [U.S. Customs and Border Protection]
• Commercial trucking between Laredo and Nuevo Laredo centers on the World Trade Bridge, the dedicated freight crossing in the complex. [U.S. Customs and Border Protection]
• As the February 2025 Nuevo Laredo blockades showed, cartel violence can paralyze city streets and bridge approaches; travelers should have alternate routes and timing plans. [Irving Pineda]

Check CBP border wait times before you go.

Groups reported around Nuevo Laredo–Laredo border crossing

• Associated Press reporting on the May 2025 sanctions described the Cartel del Noreste's base as Nuevo Laredo, the busiest commercial port on the U.S.-Mexico border. [SRN News (AP)]
• AP reporting described Nuevo Laredo as long in the grip of the Northeast Cartel, an offshoot of the old Zetas gang. [LatestLY (AP)]
• Reporting identified Ricardo 'El Ricky' Gonzalez Sauceda as the leader of Los Chukys, a Cartel del Noreste enforcement cell operating in Nuevo Laredo. [614.com.mx]
• The May 2025 Treasury sanctions action described De Anda's role coordinating arms procurement for the Cartel del Noreste and Gonzalez's role orchestrating kidnappings. [U.S. Department of the Treasury]
• ICE reported that its San Antonio office and federal partners led the investigation behind the Treasury sanctions on high-ranking Cartel del Noreste members. [U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement]
• The Cartel del Noreste was among the Mexican cartels designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations by the United States in 2025, per security-library coverage of the designations. [GlobalSecurity.org]

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