Sheinbaum Says U.S. Deportations to Mexico Have Risen in Recent Weeks; They Are Still Below End of Biden Term

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum stated Thursday that U.S. deportations to Mexico have increased in recent weeks, particularly by air, but remain lower than levels recorded at the end of President Joe Biden's administration.

According to Sheinbaum, since the beginning of her term, U.S. authorities have deported 97,950 migrants to Mexico, of which nearly 47% (45,875) occurred between January and early May. Of that total, 37,471 were Mexican nationals, and 5,511 were citizens of other countries.

The recent rise in deportations has focused on air operations, with flights arriving in southern Mexican cities like Villahermosa and Tapachula, as well as at Felipe Ángeles International Airport near Mexico City, as local news site El Comentario explains. Sheinbaum noted that while deportation numbers have increased in the past two weeks, the overall trend remains below the peak levels observed in December 2024, under the previous U.S. administration.

Sheinbaum also took the time to reject claims that Mexico's migration policy has been militarized, responding to concerns raised in a United Nations report:

"They're simply not right. In fact, the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Foreign Affairs contacted this United Nations institution to explain what is being done in our country"

She went on to defend the deployment of the National Guard for migrant control operations, emphasizing that even though it falls under the jurisdiction of the Mexican Defense Ministry, it is a public security force with its own command and training. She said agencies including Immigration, the Interior Ministry, and the Social Welfare Department continue to lead humanitarian support for migrants.

Meanwhile, Mexicos Security Minister Omar García Harfuch revealed on Thursday that Mexico's federal security forces have made over 20,000 arrests and seized more than 154 tons of drugs in Sheinbaum's first seven months in office. García Harfuch added that nearly 900 clandestine drug labs were dismantled and over 1 million liters of chemical precursors were confiscated. He called the operations a significant financial blow to organized crime.

Sheinbaum's administration has also increased enforcement along the northern border as part of "Operación Frontera Norte." Between February and May, over 3,000 individuals were arrested, 2,000 firearms seized, and 30 tons of drugs confiscated. Harfuch noted that 75% of the firearms were manufactured in the U.S., prompting expanded cooperation between both governments.