Report: US Pushing to Have Troops in Mexico
State police maintain a security checkpoint at the entrance of Chilpancingo, Mexico, Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Alejandrino Gonzalez)
The United States is increasing pressure on Mexico to allow American forces to take part in operations against fentanyl production sites, according to reporting by The New York Times. U.S. officials have floated a plan that would place U.S. Special Operations troops or CIA officers alongside Mexican military units during raids on suspected drug labs. Such a move would mark a major expansion of the U.S. role in Mexico’s fight against drug cartels.
The proposal first surfaced last year and later stalled, but it has recently regained momentum. U.S. officials say the focus has shifted to land-based cartel operations after American authorities claim success in disrupting maritime drug-smuggling routes. President Trump has said the next priority is targeting cartels operating inside Mexico.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has repeatedly rejected the idea of U.S. combat forces operating on Mexican soil, stating that direct American involvement “is not necessary.” Instead, Mexico has offered expanded intelligence-sharing and a larger U.S. advisory presence inside Mexican command centers. American advisers already assist Mexican forces by helping direct operations toward suspected labs, relying in part on surveillance information from CIA drone flights.
Some U.S. officials favor going even further, including the possibility of drone strikes. Mexican officials warn that such actions would violate Mexico’s sovereignty and could destabilize the country politically.
Currently, only unarmed U.S. security personnel are stationed in Mexico, and all operate with the Mexican government’s approval, according to Mexico’s security chief, Omar García Harfuch. He has emphasized that Mexico’s primary need is actionable intelligence, not foreign troops on the ground.
Mexican officials are concerned that unilateral U.S. action without approval could weaken domestic support for Sheinbaum. At the same time, allowing American forces to participate directly in ground operations could trigger a similar political backlash.
For now, the Mexican government is highlighting its own crackdown on drug trafficking, pointing to increased deployments in areas such as Sinaloa, a rise in arrests, and the destruction of drug labs at a pace nearly four times higher than under the previous administration.
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