Mexico Enhances Border Security with National Guard Troops
Mexico has agreed to deploy 10,000 national guard troops to the border in an effort to strengthen the fight against drug trafficking, particularly fentanyl, entering the United States.
President Claudia Sheinbaum announced on the X platform that this decision follows a "good conversation" with President Donald Trump. During this discussion, Mexico also committed to work in tandem with the U.S. to prevent weapons trafficking into Mexico.
This development comes just two days after Trump imposed a 25 percent tariff on goods from Mexico and Canada, citing their failure to manage the flow of illegal fentanyl and migrants crossing the U.S. border. The tariffs were set to take effect Tuesday.
The White House has accused Mexican authorities of creating "safe havens" for drug trafficking organizations, a claim that Sheinbaum strongly denies.
With the U.S. and Mexico being key trading partners, Mexico relies heavily on cross-border commerce, with over 80 percent of its exports going to the United States. Economists warn that prolonged tariffs could lead Mexico into a recession.
Under pressure from the Biden administration, Mexico has taken measures to curtail the movement of U.S.-bound migrants, resulting in over 1 million detentions last year and contributing to a more than 70 percent decrease in border arrests.
Additionally, Mexico has consented to resume Trump's "Wait in Mexico" program, which mandates that asylum seekers remain in Mexico while their applications are processed in U.S. courts. This program was initially implemented by Trump but was paused under Biden.
