Mexico has started to deploy the 10,000 troops it promised it would send to its border with the United States in response to President Donald Trump’s tariff threats as his administration cracks down on border security.
Troops with the Mexican National Guard and Army were seen arriving at the border separating Ciudad Juárez and El Paso, Texas, on Wednesday, according to The Associated Press.
The two largest deployment sites are Ciudad Juárez and Tijuana, where at least 1,650 troops and 1,949 troops, respectively, are expected to be sent, according to the Mexican government via The AP.
MEXICO AGREES TO DEPLOY 10,000 TROOPS TO US BORDER IN EXCHANGE FOR TARIFF PAUSE
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum agreed to deploy troops to its northern border hours before Trump-approved tariffs on imports were set to go into effect in response to the drugs and illegal aliens flowing into the U.S. from Mexico.
“We need to protect Americans, and it is my duty as President to ensure the safety of all,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post Saturday. “I made a promise on my Campaign to stop the flood of illegal aliens and drugs from pouring across our Borders, and Americans overwhelmingly voted in favor of it.”
Part of the deal Trump struck with Sheinbaum included his promise to combat the trafficking of American guns into Mexico that are fueling cartel violence.
TRUMP PAUSES TARIFFS ON MEXICO AFTER STRIKING DEAL WITH MEXICAN PRESIDENT
Mexican patrols were already working along the border near Tijuana on Wednesday, The AP said, and service members along the bushy outskirts of Ciudad Juárez could also be seen removing makeshift ladders and ropes tucked into trenches.
“There will be permanent surveillance on the border,” National Guard leader José Luis Santos Iza told reporters as the first set of soldiers arrived. “This operation is primarily to prevent drug trafficking from Mexico to the United States, mainly fentanyl.”
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Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is on a diplomatic trip through Latin America, thanked the Mexican government for sending the troops to the border, according to a statement from Mexico.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
