Mexico Accelerates Cartel Prisoner Transfers Amid Trump’s Military Threat

MEXICO CITY — Mexico has sent 37 more suspected cartel members to the United States to face charges, the country’s top law enforcement official said Tuesday. This seems to be a new attempt to stop President Trump from ordering a U.S. military strike against drug cartels in Mexico.

The 37 suspects where flown to various U.S. cities – including Washington, Houston, New York, San Antonio, and San Diego – on seven mexican military flights, Omar García Harfuch, the Mexican security minister, announced on X.

This is the third time Mexico has transferred “high impact criminals” to the U.S. as Trump became president a year ago and promised to crack down on Mexican cartels. Mexico says a total of 92 prisoners are now in U.S. custody consequently of these transfers.

While García Harfuch said the suspects “can no longer cause violence in our country,” many believe the transfers are meant to appease Trump and prevent him from sending U.S. troops into Mexico to attack cartels.

The latest handover is likely an attempt by the Mexican government to reduce “pressure from Donald Trump to allow U.S. troops to launch ground attacks on drug labs,” said David Saucedo, a Mexican security consultant.

“For months, Mexico has been trying to manage the situation, slowly addressing the U.S. government’s demands,” Saucedo said. “they’re doing that now, making small concessions instead of fully meeting Washington’s goals.”

Mexican President Claudia sheinbaum has been working for a year to convince the Trump governance that Mexico is going after cartels like never before. She provides daily updates on arrests, drug lab destruction, and efforts to stop money laundering.

Sheinbaum has repeatedly turned down Trump’s requests to send U.S. troops into Mexico.