The United States and Mexico are working together now. Their goal is to stop a violent drug gang. It is called the Juarez Cartel. On Thursday, Border Patrol agents dropped into El Paso from helicopters. At the same time, Mexican soldiers ran a matching patrol on the other side. The drill was aimed right at the cartel. Some call it La Linea.

This show of force comes about a month after the U.S. named the Juarez Cartel a terror group. That label is not just words. It gives U.S. agents new tools. They can now freeze the cartel's money. They can charge helpers with bigger crimes too.

This fight is close to home for South Texas. The Juarez Cartel has moved drugs and people across the border for years. The same routes that feed El Paso also feed the Rio Grande Valley. When agents crack down in one spot, drug routes can shift. Other parts of the border feel it too.

The Juarez Cartel got its start in the 1980s. It is one of the oldest drug gangs in Mexico. It runs the busy Ciudad Juarez crossing. That spot is one of the biggest gateways between the two nations. Officials say the cartel moves heroin, cocaine, weed, and fentanyl through it. The group is also tied to selling and moving people by force. Investigators link the cartel to nine deaths in 2019. Six of those killed were children.

Thursday's drill brought together 13 agencies. On the U.S. side, that meant Border Patrol, the DEA, and the ATF. It also meant Homeland Security agents and Texas state troopers. On the Mexican side, the army and National Guard ran a matching patrol just across the line.

Hamid Nikseresht works for Border Patrol. He had a blunt message for cartel helpers.

"If you have engaged with terrorist activity, you will face severe legal consequences," Nikseresht said. "This is not rhetoric."

Jesse Munoz is the top Border Patrol boss in El Paso. He said the new terror label changes how helpers get treated by police.

"Those lower-level people who are helping cartels, they need to understand that you're not someone who is being treated as someone helping a criminal organization," Munoz said.

Justin Simmons is the top U.S. prosecutor for West Texas. He said the cartel has hurt people on both sides of the border for a long time.

"This group, this cartel, has been terrorizing both sides of the border for decades," Simmons said. He said cartel bosses have made billions from the drug trade.

The Juarez Cartel is the eighth group the U.S. has named a terror group. That started when Trump took office. That was about 18 months ago. That push has led to longer prison terms for other cartel members. It has also led to frozen bank accounts.

The push against the Juarez Cartel is not just a local effort. Top leaders from the DEA, Homeland Security, and the U.S. State Department are also part of the plan. So is the U.S. Ambassador to Mexico. This tells agents on the ground that Washington is watching this fight closely.

Agents are still building cases against Juarez Cartel members. They also want the people who help move the group's drugs and cash. Officials have not said if the drill will lead to arrests right away. Border Patrol wants your help too. Call 1-800-635-2509 to report anything odd near the border. You can stay unnamed.

For now, the message from both sides of the river is the same. A cartel that has run Ciudad Juarez for 40 years now faces terror charges. Anyone who helps it, even in a small way, could face those same charges.