Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has changed her position and agreed to accept thousands of deported migrants from the United States, a decision influenced by increasing pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump.
On Monday, Sheinbaum reported that Mexico had received over 4,000 deportees in the past week, with the vast majority being Mexican citizens. However, as reported by Reuters, the processing of non-Mexican deportees is also taking place, marking a notable departure from her administration’s previous refusal to accept migrants from other nations.
This concession by Sheinbaum indicates a significant shift in policy amid rising concerns regarding border security and illegal immigration. The decision follows months of diplomatic pressure and renewed demands from Trump, who has persistently advocated for stricter immigration policies and enhanced enforcement measures.
On Thursday, Mexico denied a U.S. military aircraft permission to land, temporarily hindering the Trump administration’s efforts to deport immigrants to Mexico. This denial affected a planned deportation flight, even as two U.S. Air Force C-17s successfully transported around 80 deportees each to Guatemala that same night. Ultimately, the flight intended for Mexico was canceled.
The reasons for Mexico’s decision to block the flight were not immediately clear, although it is evident that relations between the U.S. and Mexico, typically allies and neighbors, have become strained since Trump’s election victory in November. Trump has threatened to impose a blanket tariff of 25% on Mexico in response to migration issues along their shared border, although such tariffs have yet to be enacted.
“Thanks to President Trump: Yesterday, Mexico accepted a record 4 deportation flights in 1 day!” tweeted Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Friday. “This is in addition to unrestricted returns at the land border, the deportation of non-Mexicans, and the reinstatement of Remain-in-Mexico. Mexico has also mobilized 30,000 National Guard troops.”
Trump has consistently criticized Joe Biden’s approach to the border crisis, attributing the increase in illegal crossings to his administration’s policies. Since taking office on January 20, President Trump has implemented various strategies to tackle immigration issues at the U.S.-Mexico border.
On his inaugural day, Trump proclaimed a national emergency at the southern border, mobilizing U.S. troops to bolster security measures. Furthermore, his administration reinstated the Migrant Protection Protocols, commonly referred to as the “Remain in Mexico” policy, which mandates that asylum seekers remain in Mexico while their immigration cases are adjudicated in the United States.
To combat illegal immigration, the administration has escalated deportation efforts, with over 4,000 individuals deported to Mexico within the first week of his presidency. This group includes both Mexican citizens and individuals from other nations. Additional actions taken include the discontinuation of the CBP One app and the revocation of guidelines that restricted immigration enforcement in sensitive areas such as schools and places of worship.
On the day of President Trump’s inauguration, Mexican Interior Minister Rosa Icela Rodriguez stated, “Mexico will do everything necessary to care for its compatriots and will allocate whatever is necessary to receive those who are repatriated.” She urged Mexicans to “remain calm and keep a cool head.”
In a recent video address to the World Economic Forum in Davos, President Trump remarked, “With Mexico, I think we are going very well.”
