A prescription drug seizure at a South Texas checkpoint, dozens of new federal immigration cases, and a deadly shootout after a highway chase highlight this week’s enforcement actions across the state.
Schizophrenia Pills Seized At Laredo Checkpoint
U.S. Border Patrol officials announced that agents had seized more than 1,800 prescription pills from a U.S. citizen with an active warrant during a checkpoint stop in Laredo.
Agents encountered the individual at a U.S. Border Patrol immigration checkpoint where a search allegedly uncovered a large quantity of prescription medications, including antidepressants and medications used to treat schizophrenia and other psychiatric disorders, according to Border Patrol Chief Michael W. Banks.
1,827 PRESCRIPTION PILLS SEIZED❗
A U.S. citizen with an active warrant for dangerous drugs attempted to pass through a USBP Immigration Checkpoint in Laredo, TX, carrying an alarming quantity of antidepressants, schizophrenia medications, and other prescription pills. The U.S.… pic.twitter.com/MyFYrQEgmi— Chief Michael W. Banks (@USBPChief) March 3, 2026
Banks added that the suspect was turned over to the Webb County Sheriff’s Office to face the outstanding warrant.
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), a common class of antidepressants, include drugs such as fluoxetine, sertraline, paroxetine, citalopram, and escitalopram, according to medical references from the Mayo Clinic website.
Antipsychotic medications used to treat schizophrenia and related conditions may include drugs such as aripiprazole, paliperidone, risperidone, and haloperidol, according to the Mayo Clinic website.
Authorities did not immediately release the suspect’s name or additional details about the alleged drug possession.
Federal Prosecutors Announce 175 Immigration Cases
Federal prosecutors in the Western District of Texas said they filed 175 new immigration-related criminal cases during a one-week period, including allegations involving repeat illegal entry and individuals with prior criminal convictions.
The cases, announced by U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons, span arrests between February 20 and February 26 and include individuals alleged to have prior convictions for offenses such as assault, driving while intoxicated, firearms violations, and sexual assault.
Among those charged was an illegal alien from El Salvador, Franklin Ulises Rodriguez-Rivas, whom prosecutors identified as a documented Tango Blast gang member accused of illegally reentering the United States after a prior removal in March 2022.
Prosecutors also alleged that illegal alien Mexican national Ramon Franco-Martinez had previously been deported in 2013 and was later convicted of sexual assault in 2025 before again being charged with illegal reentry after being identified in the Travis County Jail.
Other defendants named in the press release included individuals with prior convictions for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, assault causing bodily injury to a family member, firearm violations, and repeated driving under the influence, according to the release.
The cases are part of a federal enforcement initiative known as Operation Take Back America, which the Department of Justice describes as a nationwide effort aimed at combating illegal immigration and transnational criminal organizations.
Wisconsin Man Killed After Border Checkpoint Shootout
A Wisconsin man was shot and killed after authorities said he fled a Border Patrol checkpoint and opened fire on officers and civilians during a high-speed chase along Interstate 10 in West Texas.
The Texas Department of Public Safety said the incident began around 10:30 a.m. on March 4 at a U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint near Sierra Blanca, about 90 miles east of El Paso.
UPDATE: On Wednesday, March 4, 2026, at around 10:30 a.m. CT, Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Texas Highway Patrol Troopers and Aircraft Operations Division (AOD) pilots were called to assist in a high-speed pursuit involving a vehicle that fled a U.S. Border Patrol…
— Texas DPS (@TxDPS) March 4, 2026
DPS said a Border Patrol drug detection dog alerted to a vehicle driven by James Douglas McMillan, 33, of Greenfield, Wisconsin. Authorities alleged McMillan fled the checkpoint when agents directed him to pull over for a secondary search.
The pursuit involved troopers, aircraft pilots, and multiple law enforcement agencies as the vehicle traveled along Interstate 10, according to DPS’s post.
During the chase, McMillan allegedly began firing out of his vehicle at law enforcement officers and civilian vehicles, DPS said. Troopers ultimately used a precision immobilization technique, or PIT maneuver, to stop the vehicle.
After the crash, DPS officials said McMillan barricaded himself in the vehicle and later pointed his weapon toward officers, prompting officers to open fire.
He was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities said no officers or civilians were injured.
The vehicle McMillan was driving had been reported stolen in Arizona, according to DPS.
Witnesses described seeing the pursuit and the aftermath of the shootout along the highway. One witness told CNN that she saw a flash grenade and heard multiple gunshots before people ran back to their vehicles.
The Sierra Blanca checkpoint processes thousands of vehicles each day. It is considered one of the busiest interior Border Patrol checkpoints in the United States, according to officials cited in reporting by CNN.
The Texas Rangers are leading the investigation with assistance from the FBI and U.S. Border Patrol.
Data previously obtained by The Dallas Express suggests that not all immigration enforcement in Texas leads to criminal prosecution. Worksite enforcement data from Homeland Security Investigations covering January 20 through June 30, 2025, showed that authorities made 102 administrative arrests in Dallas County during that period, compared with 14 criminal arrests, six indictments, and four convictions, meaning administrative actions accounted for roughly 83% of enforcement activity, according to prior reporting by The Dallas Express.
Administrative arrests for civil immigration violations are typically handled through immigration courts rather than criminal prosecution.
Federal officials note that criminal complaints and indictments are allegations and that defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
