Fronton Island sits in the middle of the Rio Grande south of Starr County, and authorities say it's a hot spot for cartel activity, including smuggling and gun fights.

The Texas Department of Public Safety have started their final steps before they start patrolling with the National Guard in just a few weeks.

Fronton is a small town west of Roma, where the people who live there say violence is normal.

Some residents might be used to the way things are, but the Texas government wants to change things.

It's why they're taking control of Fronton Island, which is about 170 acres in the middle of the river that is referred to by law enforcement as the single most dangerous spot. 

"This is the most violent region on the Texas-Mexico border," DPS spokesperson Chris Olivarez said. "These armed gunmen that are coming across, ammunition, border patrol found an explosive."

In September, the General Land Office declared the island, long known as no man's land, state territory.

The declaration allowed DPS troopers and national guardsmen to patrol the strip of land as part of Operation Lone Star.

"We have to send a message that we are going to take control of this island," Olivarez said.

Olivarez says the island is ideal for drug and human smuggling, making it the subject of a war between Mexico's northeast cartel and the gulf cartel. 

He says abandoned structures along the river are used by cartels for their operations and are marked by graffiti with their initials.

Their mission on Fronton started with clearing out vegetation on the island, so they could see better. 

That phase has been completed, and they're starting their final steps before they begin patrolling.

As part of DPS and the national guard's efforts to secure Fronton Island, they've started putting up concertina wire along the entire river bank.

Access to Fronton Island is blocked by DPS troopers and members of the Texas national guard.

Olivarez says he estimates the island will be fully patrolled and staffed by mid-November.

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