A woman whose sister, nieces, and nephews were brutally murdered by the Juarez cartel is speaking out in support of President Donald Trump’s tough stance on cartel violence, saying she feels “very hopeful for the first time in a long time.”
Speaking with Fox News Digital, Adriana Jones, president of American Families Against Cartel Terrorism, recounted the horrific attack that claimed the lives of her sister, Maria “Rhonita” LeBaron, and nieces and nephews Howie, 12, Krystal, 10, and 8-month-old twins Titus and Tiana in November 2019. The family had been traveling to Phoenix, just 70 miles south of the Arizona-Mexico border, when they were ambushed.
“Gunmen opened fire on their vehicle, killing everybody in it, and then lit it on fire when they were gunned down. So, they were burned, most likely still alive,” Jones said. “There were two other vehicles on the same route, and two other mothers were murdered along with two more children, with seven children surviving—all American citizens—all right there along the border.”
Since that tragedy, Jones said her family has been “fighting for justice in every way we can.” Through her advocacy, she realized that their story is far from unique: “All along the border you see this kind of stuff happening every single day,” whether it involves cartel violence, human trafficking, or deadly fentanyl trafficking.
“No American family should ever have to suffer the way that my family has suffered,” she said. “I held their bodies. I watched what the cartels did to them. I know how evil they are. American families are dying every single day because of cartel violence. America really needs to know what’s happening.”
Until recently, Jones said the fight felt like “hitting a brick wall.”
“There was almost zero movement,” she explained. “No matter how much we pushed, no matter how much we traveled, no matter how many doors we knocked on, and finally, in these last few months, you’ve just seen a lot of movement on this issue. People are finally waking up, truly understanding.”
After the Trump Department of Justice announced that Sinaloa Cartel boss and former Juarez leader Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada pleaded guilty to leading a criminal enterprise and racketeering, Jones said she felt a renewed sense of hope.
She thanked President Trump, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and the “entire Trump administration” for holding the cartels accountable.
“I wasn’t expecting to be as emotional as I was watching it live. Honestly, I felt very, very hopeful for the first time in a long time,” she said.
“Listening to that press conference and seeing the work done under this administration, I’m honestly so hopeful,” Jones added. “I truly believe that cartels can and should be eradicated.”
Tearing up, she described it as “a very, very emotional day.”
Though the Trump administration has faced criticism for its immigration policies, Jones said, “I feel like the current administration is the first time we’ve seen any real movement on this issue.”
“Understanding just how big it is and how many American lives are affected every day, I’m truly hopeful for the first time in a long time that we can make a difference, get those numbers trending down, and save American families,” she said.
Still, Jones emphasized that more needs to be done. While the administration has designated eight cartels and criminal groups as “foreign terrorist organizations,” the Juarez Cartel and its subgroup “La Linea,” which killed her family, have not yet received that designation.
“It is disheartening,” she admitted. “We actually have a judgment in U.S. courts against these cartels that named them terrorists. So, it seemed like a very easy step to just include them on that list.”
“They shot my 12-year-old nephew point-blank and burned eight-month-old twins. These are terrorists, and they need to be on that list,” she said. “I’m going to keep knocking on doors until I get those answers.”
Jones encouraged other American families affected by cartel violence to join her advocacy.
“Each victim has their own story. Every family has their own heartache. Using that heartache to make a difference is what we’re trying to do,” she said. “The world needs to hear your stories. America needs your stories.”
