Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum expressed her administration's hope to establish an agreement with the incoming Trump administration regarding deportations. This agreement would be similar to the one currently in place with the Biden administration, which involves sending deportees directly to their country of origin.
President-elect Donald Trump has made mass deportations a focal point of his 2024 campaign promises. Sheinbaum emphasized Mexico's solidarity with all individuals but reiterated that their primary responsibility is to receive Mexican nationals.
To prepare for the potential of mass deportations, Sheinbaum announced plans to hold meetings with governors of Mexican border states including Baja California, Sonora, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas. The goal of these meetings is to coordinate efforts on how to effectively receive Mexican deportees.
While expressing the hope that mass deportations do not occur, Sheinbaum assured that Mexico will be ready to handle the situation if it arises.
These recent immigration discussions follow a call between Sheinbaum and Trump on November 27 to address border and fentanyl-related issues. Sheinbaum described the call as 'excellent' and noted that migrant caravans assisted in Mexico were no longer reaching the border.
Trump, in response, characterized the conversation as 'wonderful' and claimed that Sheinbaum had agreed to halt migration through Mexico into the United States, effectively closing the Southern Border. However, this assertion was later refuted by the Mexican president.
This conversation marked the first interaction between the two leaders since Trump's pledge to impose significant tariff increases on Mexican goods as a response to illegal immigration, crime, and drug trafficking across the border.
Mexico has since emphasized its efforts to address the fentanyl and border crises, underscoring the importance of cooperation and dialogue between the two nations.
