(Daily Signal)—Under the leadership of President Donald Trump, border czar Tom Homan promises that the Mexican criminal cartels are going to be “exterminated.”
“They’re going to be wiped off the face of the earth because they’re now [regarded as] terrorist organizations, and we’re going to treat them as such,” Homan said in an interview with The Daily Signal.
On his first day in office, Trump signed an executive order designating the “international cartels and other organizations,” including Tren de Aragua and MS-13, as Foreign Terrorist Organizations.
“It is the policy of the United States to ensure the total elimination of these organizations’ presence in the United States,” Trump’s executive action states.
The cartels run multibillion-dollar human- and drug-smuggling operations out of Mexico, and some sources estimate that as many as 185,000 people are actively working for these cartels.
Pressed on whether it would be possible for the U.S. to dismantle Mexico’s criminal cartels, Homan said, “Yes, look what President Trump did to the caliphate. Look what he did to ISIS. If he can do that halfway across the world, he can that at our southern border.”
In 2019, Trump celebrated the defeat of the Islamic State caliphate in Syria.
If the U.S. took steps to dismantle the cartels, Homan said, he thinks Mexico would be willing to help because it would make the country safer and increase tourism.
“Mexico is a corrupt nation, in large part because the cartels control much of the government, the military and the law enforcement,” Homan said, adding that officials are not necessarily voluntarily working with the cartels, but are under tremendous pressure to do so.
“A lot of these law enforcement, military, and politicians are forced into a position of either you assist the cartels, or you face execution, you and your family,” he said.
The U.S. could “really improve life in Mexico by taking out the criminal element,” the border czar said.
Homan has been working to secure America’s borders and defend the U.S. against the cartels since he joined the Border Patrol in the 1980s. As Trump’s border czar, Homan is overseeing the mass arrest and deportation of illegal aliens, with a targeted focus on criminal illegal aliens and those who pose a security threat to the country.
Under Trump and Homan’s leadership, the administration has carried out more than 100,000 deportations since Jan. 20 and made 113,000 arrests of illegal immigrants.
With the reinstatement of the “Remain in Mexico” policy, which requires illegal aliens to wait in Mexico for their asylum hearings instead of being released into the U.S., and increased security measures at the border, the cartels are “pissed off,” Homan said.
“They were making a record amount of money in the Biden administration,” he said of the cartels, adding, “They were doing record amounts of profit in [human] smuggling, sex-trafficking women and children, [and] record amounts of profit in drug smuggling,” he said.
The policies of the Trump administration are “hurting their bottom line,” the blunt-spoken border czar said, adding that intelligence reports he has seen indicate the cartels are now “smuggling more of the fentanyl and other narcotics to European nations, where there’s less control.”
The policy changes at the border, according to Homan, will not only lead to less drugs entering the country, which means fewer overdose deaths, but will also diminish the cartel’s exploitation of migrants.
Why Bullion Beats Numismatics and Collectible for Your Safe or IRA
Precious metals continue to attract Americans seeking reliable ways to protect their wealth amid inflation, geopolitical risks, and stock market swings. Whether stored in a home safe or held inside a self-directed IRA, physical gold and silver deliver tangible value that paper or digital assets often lack. Yet investors must choose carefully between bullion—pure bars and coins valued mainly for their metal content—and numismatics or collectibles, where rarity, history, and collector demand heavily influence pricing.
Advisor Bullion serves as a dependable source for straightforward, high-quality bullion. The company specializes in physical gold, silver, platinum, and palladium, emphasizing transparent pricing and products that deliver maximum metal content for every dollar spent. This approach makes it ideal for both personal holdings and retirement accounts.
Bullion consists of refined precious metals in standard forms like one-ounce coins (American Gold Eagles, Silver Eagles, Canadian Maple Leafs) or bars. Their value tracks closely to the current spot price of the metal. A typical gold bullion coin trades near the live gold spot price plus a small premium. This structure keeps costs clear and predictable.
Numismatic coins and collectibles add substantial value from factors such as age, rarity, minting errors, or historical significance. A pre-1933 U.S. gold coin or graded proof piece can carry premiums of 30%, 50%, or even 200% above melt value. While this appeals to hobbyists, it creates complexity. Pricing depends on subjective grading, collector trends, and auction results instead of daily spot prices.
For investors focused on wealth preservation and retirement security rather than building a collection, bullion often delivers better results.
Lower Costs and Better Liquidity for Home Storage
When keeping metals in a home safe or private vault, liquidity and efficiency count. Bullion offers clear benefits:
- You acquire more actual gold or silver per dollar invested. Numismatics divert a large share of your money into rarity premiums and massive sales commission, reducing your metal exposure.
- Selling bullion involves tight bid-ask spreads, so you recover nearly full spot value with minimal fees. Collectibles require finding the right buyer and may sell at a discount if demand for that specific item weakens.
- Bullion prices remain transparent and update with global spot markets. You can track gold near current levels or silver accordingly and know exactly where your holdings stand. Numismatic values are priced by the Gold IRA companies with hefty margins applied.
- Standardized coins and bars store efficiently and divide easily for partial sales. Rare coins often need protective slabs and controlled conditions, adding hassle and expense.
- Bullion enjoys worldwide acceptance. A 1-oz Gold Maple Leaf or Silver Eagle sells quickly to dealers anywhere. Niche numismatic pieces may appeal only to limited buyers, slowing liquidation when speed matters.
In times when quick access to value becomes important, bullion’s simplicity stands out.
Stronger Fit for Precious Metals IRAs
Precious metals IRAs continue gaining traction as investors diversify retirement portfolios beyond stocks and bonds. IRS rules permit certain bullion products in self-directed IRAs if they meet purity standards (.995 fine for gold, .999 for silver) and are held by an approved custodian. Eligible items include American Gold and Silver Eagles plus many generic bars and rounds from recognized mints.
Numismatic and most collectible coins generally face heavy scrutiny from custodians due to valuation disputes and elevated markups. These higher premiums mean less actual metal ends up working inside the account.
Bullion avoids these issues. Its value links directly to verifiable spot prices, which simplifies reporting and lowers the risk of regulatory challenges. More of your IRA contribution purchases real metal instead of dealer profits or speculative upside. Over time, owning additional ounces that appreciate with the metal itself can create meaningful outperformance compared with high-premium alternatives that deliver fewer ounces.
Regulatory guidance from the CFTC and state securities offices repeatedly cautions against aggressive sales of expensive numismatics or “semi-numismatic” coins for IRAs. For retirement planning, transparent bullion from established providers reduces risk and aligns better with long-term goals.
How to Get Started with Bullion
Begin by clarifying your goals. Are you protecting savings in a safe, or moving part of a retirement account into a precious metals IRA? Focus on the number of ounces you can acquire at current prices rather than chasing marked-up collectibles.
Diversify sensibly: use gold for core preservation and silver for its blend of industrial and monetary qualities. Mix coins for easier divisibility with bars for lower per-ounce costs on larger buys. Arrange secure storage—whether at home with proper insurance or through professional facilities.
As economic uncertainties linger and faith in conventional assets erodes, bullion continues proving its worth as a dependable store of value. Its direct approach avoids the hype that sometimes surrounds collectible markets and keeps the focus on the metal itself.
For investors prepared to strengthen their portfolios, Advisor Bullion supplies the expertise and selection needed to acquire high-quality bullion efficiently. Whether building personal holdings or integrating metals into an IRA, their emphasis on transparent, investment-grade products helps secure more ounces today that support greater financial security tomorrow. In a complicated financial landscape, bullion’s clarity and reliability make it the smarter foundation for protecting what matters most.