The CIA under President Donald Trump has been covertly flying MQ-9 Reaper drones over Mexico to spy on drug cartels, current and former officials familiar with the matter told CNN, part of Trump’s dramatic reorientation of national security assets to the US southern border.

WASHINGTON — In recent days, the Trump administration has ramped up CIA surveillance drone flights over Mexico, formally designated drug cartels as “foreign terrorist” groups and floated the possibility of deploying troops there to fight organized crime.

The Mexican Senate has approved the deployment of U.S. Army Green Berets into the country to target drug cartels in a move to appease President Trump, who has moved swiftly to shut down the border and crack down on drug smuggling.