Mexico and the United States reaffirmed their security collaboration on border issues in early September 2025 during U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit to Mexico City. After meeting with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, Rubio characterized the current state of Mexico-U.S. relations as “the closest cooperation we’ve ever had, maybe between any country, but definitely between the U.S. and Mexico,” according to The Associated Press.
The September 3 meeting established a new high-level binational group to focus on discouraging illegal migration, drug and gun smuggling, and other contraband activities that threaten the security of both countries. “The two governments have established a high-level implementation group to meet regularly and follow-up on mutual commitments and actions taken within their own countries, including measures to counter the cartels, strengthen border security, and eliminate clandestine border tunnels, address illicit financial flows, enhance collaboration to prevent fuel theft, increase inspections, investigations, and prosecutions to stop the flow of drugs and arms,” read a statement released by the U.S. Department of State after the meeting.
The statement acknowledged the success such collaboration has already achieved in 2025. Rates of illegal migration have reached record lows as Mexico and the U.S. have deployed tens of thousands of troops to the southern border. Mexico also has aggressively confronted cartel violence, especially along the border. Since Sheinbaum took office in October 2024, her government has repeatedly dismantled fentanyl and other drug labs, significantly reducing the flow of the highly dangerous opioid into the U.S.
In particular, the Sinaloa Cartel, designated by the U.S. government this year as a foreign terrorist organization, has been under heavy military pressure by Mexican security forces. In addition, Mexico has sent 55 high-ranking cartel members to the U.S. to face trial under Sheinbaum’s administration. “Our close coordination has allowed us to secure the border, reduce fentanyl trafficking, and advance intelligence sharing, all within our respective legal frameworks. The two governments further intend to strengthen collaboration in public health and coordinate campaigns to prevent the abuse of illicit substances and opioids,” the statement read.
Mexico also praised the efforts of the neighboring North American countries to reduce violence and drugs along their shared frontier. Mexico Foreign Affairs Secretary Ramón de la Fuente said, “It’s fundamental to show to U.S. society, Mexican society, that yes, models of cooperation, of collaboration can be built that work, that give results,” the AP reported.
Since January, the U.S. government has taken a more active military approach to cartel activity. Recently, U.S. Navy ships and Marines deployed to the region to defend the maritime approaches to the U.S. and bolster security in the Caribbean. The U.S. has deployed 10 F-35 fighter jets to Puerto Rico for operations targeting drug cartels. The jets are in addition to two Aegis guided-missile destroyers, the USS Gravely and the USS Jason Dunham. Another destroyer, the USS Sampson, and the cruiser USS Lake Erie also are nearby, according to the AP. Three more amphibious assault ships — the USS Iwo Jima, the USS San Antonio and the USS Fort Lauderdale — also were in the Caribbean carrying more than 4,000 Marines and Sailors, the AP reported.