Jaime Jorge Zapata (May 7, 1978 – February 15, 2011) was an Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent who was ambushed and murdered by the Mexican criminal group Los Zetas in San Luis Potosí, Mexico.

[4] Zapata was born in Brownsville, Texas, United States, a border city directly north of Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico.

Homeland Security Investigations special agents, Jaime Zapata and Víctor Ávila, were traveling from Laredo, Texas to Mexico City on an assignment for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

According to federal sources, the ambush took place at a fake military checkpoint established by the gunmen, who were dressed in camouflage uniforms and armed with machine guns.

The gun that killed Zapata and wounded Víctor Ávila—a semi-automatic WASR-10[19]—was purchased by Otilio Osorio in Dallas, Texas,[20][21][22] the serial number obliterated, and smuggled into Mexico along with nine additional rifles.

President Felipe Calderón mentioned during his visit to Washington, D.C., on March 3, 2011, that "alternatives" would be examined with Congress to improve the security of U.S. agents working in Mexico.

[25] The death of Jaime Zapata allowed for the United States to work closely with officials on the Mexican-led investigation to ensure the perpetrators were captured as quickly as possible.

[26] Throughout the investigation, all the killers were eventually captured, including Jesús Enrique Rejón Aguilar, the third most powerful leader in Los Zetas and boss of the state where Zapata was killed.