Borderland: Narcosis with Vincent 'Rocco' Vargas

Today's guest is Marine Corps veteran Daniel Torres. Born in Tijuana, he served in Operation Iraqi Freedom, but was deported to Mexico after years of service. There, he lived in The Bunker, the Deported Veteran Support House. After gaining his American citizenship, he has become an advocate for fellow veterans who have been deported. This episode was intended to spotlight his story and his advocacy, but the conversation went in other directions, highlighting the tension that often exists in debates about immigration, the law, and politics. Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike Vigil is the former Chief of International Operations for the Drug Enforcement Administration. He is also the author of DEAL, Metal Coffins: The Blood Alliance Cartel, Narco Queen, and The Land of Enchantment CartelHe is responsible for numerous multinational operations, the largest involving 36 countries, and was involved in the real-life story told in Netflix’s Narcos: Mexico involving the murder of his friend Enrique "Kiki" Camarena. Today on Borderland, Vince and Mike discuss his career, going undercover in the early days of the cartel wars, his thoughts on the border crisis, and what it will take bring down the cartels. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on Borderland, Vince talks with two asylum seekers who have escaped the authoritarian regime in Venezuela. Jorge Galicia is a Fund for American Studies research fellow, an attorney, and a TPUSA Sunshine Field Representative. Follow him on X:  https://twitter.com/JorgeGalicia95 Andres Guilarte is a political activist, Outreach Fellow for the Venezuela Project and a Fund for American Studies research fellow. Follow him on X: https://twitter.com/andres7guilarte You can see more about their work here: https://tfas.org/site/venezuelan-exiles-andres-guilarte-jorge-galicia/?utm_medium=301 Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original  Subscribe on YouTube: ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/user/thisisironclad/videos⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today is the second in a two-part series on BORDERLAND, examining the MS13 gang and the massive crackdown taking place in El Salvador. Last week, we spoke with Alex Papadovassilakis and Steven Dudley of the organization InSight Crime, to talk about efforts to clear the country of gang violence, the 70,000 people who’ve been arrested, and the mega prisons that are housing them. This week, we do a deep dive into the origins of the notorious street gang and how they differ from Mexican cartels.  The fentanyl crisis, what is tranq (as well as how it became such a massive and dangerous problem in areas known for street drugs), how these drugs are coming into the country, and what can be done to stop it. Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original  Subscribe on YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/user/thisisironclad/videos⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Exploring the controversial crackdown on MS13 in El Salvador, including mass arrests and mega prisons. Delving into the origins and growth of the notorious gang, along with comparisons to Mexican cartels. Discussing the impact of enforcement laws, human rights violations, and unforeseen consequences of the government's tactics.

Today on Borderland, Vince sits down with cartel and border security expert and Newsmax border correspondent, Jaeson Jones, who reveals the shocking situation on the Southern Border including the prevalence of drugs, human smuggling, and cartel violence. Jaeson is a retired Captain from the Texas Depa rtment of Public Safety’s Intelligence and Counter Terrorism Division and has supervised numerous Human Intelligence (HUMINT) operations. You can follow him on X and see more his work @jaeson_jone Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on Borderland, Vincent “Rocco” Vargas sits down with immigration attorney and the author of the book No Human Is Illegal: An Attorney on the Front Lines of the Immigration War, J. J. Mulligan Sepulveda for a discussion about immigration, national security, race, and more.  Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original  Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/thisisironclad/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on Borderland, Vincent “Rocco” Vargas hears multiple perspectives on Texas’ controversial “Operation Lone Star.” Longer conversations with these guests will be featured in episodes later this season. FEATURED GUESTS: Terrell County, Texas Sheriff Thaddeus Cleveland Author and immigration attorney J. J. Mulligan Sepulveda Change Agents host Andy Stumpf  Yuma County Arizona Sheriff Leon N. Wilmot (Sheriff Wilmot’s and the National Sheriff’s “16 National Security initiatives” can be found here:  https://www.sheriffs.org/sites/default/files/16%20NSA%20National%20Security%20Initiatives.pdf Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original  Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/thisisironclad/videos Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Coming soon. A brand new IRONCLAD original. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices