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Inside House Republicans’ new task force to battle criminal Mexican cartels

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EXCLUSIVE: Successfully ridding the U.S. of the effects of Mexico’s criminal cartels operating along the southwestern border would be a 20-year ordeal, Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, said – but argued Congress could begin having an impact in a matter of weeks to months.

«Look, there’s places we can boost right now to help the administration – the administration is refocusing a lot of efforts, especially in the [Department of Defense (DOD)], on the cartel situation, but there’s no extra money for that. That is something we could produce in reconciliation,» Crenshaw told Fox News Digital.

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«I already know what programs need to be boosted, I just need to know the numbers. And that will come from [the Office of Management and Budget] that’ll come from the Department of Homeland Security, it’ll come from the DOD, it’ll come from [Department of Justice]. And so over the next couple of weeks, even while we’re in recess, we’re working on getting those numbers.»

TWO VENEZUELAN ILLEGAL ALIENS CHARGED WITH KIDNAPPING, TORTURING, ATTEMPTING TO KILL WASHINGTON STATE WOMAN

Rep. Dan Crenshaw is leading a new task force to back up the Trump administration’s fight against Mexican drug cartels. (AP/Getty/ Pfc. Dominic Atlas)

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Fox News Digital spoke with Crenshaw days after he was tapped to lead a new task force on combating Mexico’s drug cartels. It’s operating under the House permanent select committee on intelligence, which Crenshaw sits on.

He said it differs from his initiative last year, a similar task force, albeit with few resources to execute his goals, according to the congressman.

«Last year’s cartel task force didn’t have any staff. We were a series of members conducting hearings, investigations,» Crenshaw said. «I think we’re past that stage at the moment. Now, what I lead is really the House’s effort to actually create some legislation to combat the cartels.»

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He added that the intelligence panel was «the right place for it» given «a lot of the work we do is classified.» 

«So the goal here is to actually get some outcomes as opposed to continuing more hearings, continuing more investigation. I’ve got a pretty good outline of what needs to happen. We’ve got President Trump in the White House now, who wants to make it happen,» Crenshaw said.

«Another huge difference between now and last year is we have a Mexican administration under President Sheinbaum, who also wants to make it happen and take the fight to the cartels.»

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CJNG Drug Cartel

The initials of the drug cartel Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG) are seen in graffiti on a wall in Lagos de Moreno, Mexico, on Aug. 29, 2023. (Ulises Ruiz/AFP via Getty Images)

That fight would largely be a two-phase approach, Crenshaw explained. The first would be funding, while the second would entail «additional authorities and laws that need to be changed» to combat what the Texas congressman likened to «a terrorist insurgency» within the U.S.’ close neighbor and trading partner.

«That means boosting up certain funding lines in existing authorities, especially places like the Department of Defense. You know, NORTHCOM owns this area of operation when it comes to Canada, the U.S. and Mexico. They’re going to need extra resources because we’re going to need to do a lot more training on Mexican special forces,» he said.

Crenshaw called for sending military-grade gear to forces at the border, including Blackhawk helicopters, and bolstering reconnaissance and intelligence-gathering efforts.

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PAM BONDI CALLS OUT ‘DETACHED FROM REALITY’ DEMS FOR DEMANDING ALLEGED MS-13 GANG MEMBER BE RETURNED TO US

«Things they really don’t have and that currently cause them to be outgunned by these pretty massive militias that have unlimited funding and are ruthless in the way that they terrorize the Mexican population,» Crenshaw explained. «So there’s a lot to do there.»

He’s hoping the funding can largely be allocated through the budget reconciliation process, a means for Republicans to pass a massive conservative policy overhaul while totally sidelining Democrats.

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They can do so because reconciliation brings the Senate’s passage threshold down from 60 votes to 51, provided the legislation deals with taxation, spending or the national debt.

Soldiers patrol for cartel

Soldiers patrol the streets of Aguililla, Mexico, on March 11, 2022, after violent cartel activity. (Getty Images)

Republicans are looking to increase funding for President Donald Trump’s border initiatives, but it’s not immediately clear what shape that will take.

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The contours of that plan will become clear in the next several weeks, with lawmakers returning from a two-week recess at the end of this month.

But House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said his full faith was in Crenshaw to execute the task force’s goals.

«Now it is the responsibility of Congress to ensure this good work can continue by providing the President with the tools he needs to dismantle the drug cartels for good,» Johnson said in a statement. «No one has worked harder on this important issue than Congressman Crenshaw, and I am grateful he is willing to continue leading at this pivotal time.»

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GOP races to pass ICE, Border Patrol funding bill as priorities pile up, divisions emerge

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A party-line tactic to ram legislation through Congress and bypass the Senate filibuster has become a dumping ground for Republicans’ legislative priorities throughout the year.

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Now, as Democrats refuse to fund immigration operations, Republicans are once again readying a budget reconciliation package. The hard part will be getting enough of the GOP on the same page to craft a bill that can pass and survive the strict rules underpinning the process.

Republicans used the same process to pass President Donald Trump’s «big, beautiful bill» last year. It’s a time-consuming, labor-intensive legislative maneuver that nearly blew up and could fail unless both the Senate and House align on what exactly they want to include.

SENATE PASSES BILL TO FUND MOST OF DHS AFTER HOUSE GOP CAVES

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President Donald Trump answers questions from reporters after signing an executive order in the Oval Office of the White House Tuesday, March 31, 2026, in Washington. (Alex Brandon/AP Photo)

Trump officially backed using reconciliation again this week as a way to skirt Democrats’ refusal to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), as Congress inches closer to ending the ongoing Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown.

Trump demanded that Republicans get the bill on his desk by June 1.

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«We are going to work as fast and as focused as possible to replenish funding for our Border and ICE agents, and the Radical Left Democrats won’t be able to stop us,» Trump said on Truth Social.

Still, Republicans have viewed reconciliation as a vehicle to tackle fraud, affordability, Trump’s tariff authorities, additional tax provisions, healthcare, funding for the Iran war, supplemental agriculture spending and election integrity measures in the months since passing the «big, beautiful bill.»

DHS SHUTDOWN BREAKTHROUGH COMES AT COST FOR REPUBLICANS AS FUNDING FIGHTS NEARS END

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Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said Republicans need to «keep our expectations realistic.» (Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., has warned that if reconciliation is going to work — especially given the limited timeframe lawmakers have to start and finish the process — Republicans need to «keep our expectations realistic.»

«Our theory of the case behind all this was to keep that thing as narrow and focused as possible, and that maximizes the speed at which we can do it and the support for it,» Thune said.

«There will probably be some attempts to add things,» he continued. «There are things out there that, obviously, many of us are interested in. But on a reconciliation vehicle like this — which we need to move with haste, as the president has pointed out — it’s probably not a likely magnet for all these other issues.»

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Senate Budget Committee Chair Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., told voters at an event this week in South Carolina that he is eyeing two new reconciliation packages, which could ease concerns about cramming all the GOP’s priorities into one massive bill.

GOP RAILS AGAINST ‘S— SANDWICH’ DEAL AS ALL EYES TURN TO HOUSE TO END DHS SHUTDOWN

Lindsey Graham walking through a hallway toward the chamber.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., walks to the Senate chamber for votes after meeting behind closed doors with fellow Republicans on the Homeland Security budget stalemate, at the Capitol in Washington, March 26, 2026. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP Photo)

«We want to do it quick — ICE, Border Patrol — fund it as much as you can, multi-year,» Graham said. «Then there’s another one coming. I just made news. There’s another one coming in the fall, and that’s going to be about going after fraud.»

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House Republicans spent their recent policy retreat earlier this year pushing a so-called «reconciliation 2.0,» gearing up to load the package with several provisions that could drain time and struggle to earn support in the Senate — where strict guidelines could kill proposals entirely if they don’t comply with the rules.

The Republican Study Committee (RSC), which has long called for a second reconciliation bill, also wants to add proposals addressing affordability concerns.

«We support pursuing funding for military readiness and Homeland Security through this legislative process, while simultaneously codifying the president’s agenda to deliver lower costs for working families,» the RSC Steering Committee said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

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Some Republicans are also pushing to include the latest policy fight: the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act. The voter ID and citizenship verification legislation has no chance of passing the Senate given unified Democratic opposition.

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It’s also unlikely to survive the Senate’s reconciliation rules, which allow only provisions that directly impact spending.

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«I think we have to set our sights a little bit lower on this reconciliation bill,» Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., told Fox News Digital. «It’s got to be targeted to fund ICE for 10 years — I think that’s the number one thing for us. If we can nibble at the edges of the SAVE Act, that would be great, but the parliamentarian is not going to let us do the SAVE Act. That’s just an impossibility.»

Some of the loudest proponents of the bill in the House GOP acknowledge that adding the SAVE Act to reconciliation would be a challenge — largely because they would prefer to keep the bill intact and push it through the Senate.

«Look, it’s time for them to do a walk-and-talk and filibuster, and let’s make this thing happen,» Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., said. «The American people are watching — piecing it together just to try to get a piece.»

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Un medicamento para la diabetes podría ayudar a controlar el peso en hombres con cáncer de próstata

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Investigadores del Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center de Miami estudian el efecto de la metformina en pacientes con cáncer de próstata./Archivo

La metformina es un medicamento utilizado principalmente para tratar la diabetes tipo 2 que ayuda a controlar los niveles de glucosa en sangre.

Científicos de los Estados Unidos identificaron que se le podría dar otro uso al medicamento también. En hombres con cáncer de próstata, el fármaco podría producir un efecto similar al que genera el ejercicio intenso en el cuerpo.

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Es porque la metformina eleva los niveles de una molécula clave para el equilibrio energético y el peso, aun cuando los pacientes no realizan actividad física.

El trabajo fue realizado por investigadores del Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, en Miami, un centro especializado en cáncer. Lo publicaron en la revista científica EMBO Molecular Medicine.

Qué motivó a hacer el estudio

(Imagen Ilustrativa Infobae)
El medicamento metformina podría imitar en el cuerpo los efectos metabólicos del ejercicio intenso sin necesidad de actividad física. (Imagen Ilustrativa Infobae)

Muchos de los pacientes con cáncer de próstata sienten fatiga, dolores o presentan limitaciones físicas que hacen difícil mantener una rutina de ejercicios.

La terapia hormonal, utilizada para combatir el cáncer de próstata, puede alterar el metabolismo y provocar aumento de peso, resistencia a la insulina y riesgo cardiovascular.

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Por eso, los científicos buscaron alternativas para ayudar a quienes no pueden moverse con facilidad durante el tratamiento.

Nuevo tratamiento elimina el cáncer de vejiga en 82 % de pacientes
El uso de la metformina resulta especialmente relevante para pacientes con cáncer de próstata que no pueden realizar ejercicio por fatiga o dolor (Freepik)

El medicamento logró aumentar los niveles de N-lactoil-fenilalanina (Lac-Phe), una molécula que el cuerpo fabrica cuando necesita más energía.

Lac-Phe aparece cuando el lactato, que se produce al hacer esfuerzo, se une a la fenilalanina, un aminoácido que forma parte de las proteínas.

Estudios previos en animales y humanos ya habían relacionado altos niveles de Lac-Phe con menor apetito y mejor control del peso.

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Señales del cuerpo, caminos de la medicina

Los investigadores observaron que la metformina elevó Lac-Phe en pacientes sin actividad física, y que los valores alcanzados eran parecidos a los que se ven luego de una sesión exigente de ejercicios.

(Imagen Ilustrativa Infobae)
La metformina logra aumentar los niveles de la molécula Lac-Phe, vinculada a la regulación energética y el control del peso (Imagen Ilustrativa Infobae)

Este dato llamó la atención porque muestra que ciertas rutas metabólicas pueden activarse incluso cuando no hay movimiento.

El estudio aclara que tomar metformina no reemplaza los beneficios del ejercicio físico, pero ayuda a entender cómo funcionan los mecanismos internos del metabolismo.

El objetivo es explorar si existen formas de proteger la salud metabólica en pacientes que no pueden hacer ejercicio debido a los tratamientos o a otros problemas.

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La investigación también comprobó que los niveles de Lac-Phe elevados por la metformina no se vincularon con cambios en el antígeno prostático específico (PSA), el análisis de sangre que se usa para seguir la evolución del cáncer de próstata.

Esto significa que, aunque la molécula se relaciona con el metabolismo y el peso, no afecta directamente al tumor.

Metformina, una aliada inesperada

Primer plano de piernas entrenadas y tonificadas con piel bronceada y venas visibles, vistiendo shorts negros y zapatillas deportivas negras en un gimnasio.
El estudio muestra que algunos beneficios metabólicos del ejercicio pueden activarse con un medicamento en personas que no pueden moverse. (Imagen Ilustrativa Infobae)

Además de Lac-Phe, la metformina elevó otra sustancia llamada GDF-15, aunque la relación de esta molécula con los cambios de peso fue menos clara.

El equipo dirigido por Marijo Bilusic, oncólogo y profesor en la Universidad de Miami, señaló que la combinación del trabajo de laboratorio y estudios clínicos permitió unir los resultados moleculares con datos de pacientes reales.

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La doctora Priyamvada Rai, experta en biología tumoral, explicó que mantener la salud metabólica puede ser clave para que los pacientes toleren mejor los tratamientos y se sientan mejor en su vida diaria.

En tanto, el profesor David Lombard, del área de epigenética, agregó que estudiar el metabolismo celular ayuda a comprender el impacto de la metformina en personas con cáncer de próstata.

laboratorio ciencia investigacion cientifica microscopio (freepik)
La investigación abre nuevas perspectivas sobre cómo la metformina puede apoyar la salud metabólica en pacientes con movilidad reducida por el cáncer./Freepik

Los resultados se confirmaron en distintos contextos clínicos y también en pacientes tratados con otras terapias metabólicas.

Esto sugiere que Lac-Phe podría reflejar un ajuste más amplio del metabolismo, no solo un efecto exclusivo de la metformina.

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La potencial utilidad de la metformina en pacientes con cáncer de próstata abre una nueva línea de investigación sobre cómo los medicamentos pueden apoyar el metabolismo cuando la actividad física no es posible o resulta muy difícil.



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‘Credible intelligence’ reveals North Korea’s successor to Kim Jong Un, South Korea says

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South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) thinks that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s daughter has been lined up to be her father’s eventual successor, lawmakers noted on Monday, according to Reuters.

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The NIS indicated to lawmakers that its analysis stems from what it characterized as «credible intelligence» that it had gathered, Reuters reported, citing briefings by ruling and opposition party members following a closed-door parliamentary meeting.

Video footage posted last month showed Kim and his daughter on a tank.

KIM JONG UN APPEARS WITH TEENAGE DAUGHTER AT LIVE-FIRE ROCKET TEST IN NORTH KOREA

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This photo provided by the North Korean government shows its leader Kim Jong Un, front right, his daughter, reportedly named Kim Ju Ae, and other soldiers on a tank at a military training base in North Korea, on March 19, 2026. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP, File)

The South Korean agency indicated that the scene of the girl driving a tank was meant to emphasize her supposed military aptitude and counter doubts concerning a female successor, lawmakers noted, according to the outlet.

North Korean state-run media KCNA published photos of the North Korean leader and his daughter with a tank last month, following prior images of the girl utilizing firearms, Reuters reported.

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The daughter is thought to be about 13 years old and named Ju Ae.

IRAN’S WAR AGAINST THE US AND ISRAEL IS BEING FUELED BY NORTH KOREAN WEAPONS, EXPERT WARNS

Kim Jong Un's daughter, center, tries out a new pistol at a factory producing pistols

In this photo provided by the North Korean government, its leader Kim Jong Un’s daughter, center, tries out a new pistol at a factory producing pistols and other light arms at an undisclosed place in North Korea Wednesday, March 11, 2026.  (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)

The outlet reported that ruling Democratic Party lawmaker Park Sun-won indicated that the scenes are meant to pay «homage» to the North Korean leader’s military appearances years ago when he was being set up to succeed his father as regime leader.

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​Korea Institute for National Unification analyst Hong Min said the tank scene is not enough to determine that she has been established as her father’s successor, pointing out that she appeared with her father rather than independently, unlike her father’s independent military appearances as he was being groomed to take the helm.

NORTH KOREA TESTS SOLID-FUEL MISSILE ENGINE AS KIM BOOSTS THREAT TO US MAINLAND

This picture taken on December 20, 2025, and released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) via KNS on Dec. 23, 2025, shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (R) and his daughter Ju Ae (L) inspecting the Milyong Hotel, which was recently completed in the Samjiyon tourist district of Ryanggang Province.

This picture taken on December 20, 2025, and released by North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) via KNS on Dec. 23, 2025, shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (R) and his daughter Ju Ae (L) inspecting the Milyong Hotel, which was recently completed in the Samjiyon tourist district of Ryanggang Province. (KCNA VIA KNS / AFP via Getty Images)

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North Korea is one of the world’s only nuclear-armed nations.



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