Foreign Affairs

Mexico Pledges $1.5 Billion To U.S. For Border Security Amid Migrant, Drug Surge

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Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador pledged $1.5 billion for U.S. border security during a visit with President Joe Biden in Washington, D.C. Tuesday.

The Mexican president will allocate the funding between 2022 and 2024, according to a joint statement released Tuesday by the two leaders.

“Borders that are more resilient, more efficient, and safer, will enhance our shared commerce. We are committed like never before to completing a multi-year joint U.S.-Mexico border infrastructure modernization effort for projects along the 2,000-mile border,” the joint statement read.

Biden and Lopez Obrador discussed a range of issues during the meeting, including the flows of fentanyl and migrants.

Nos reunimos en Washington con el presidente de Estados Unidos, Joseph Biden, a quien propusimos cinco puntos básicos de cooperación. Los grandes desafíos nos demandan un programa atrevido de desarrollo y bienestar, además de estrechar aún más los lazos de amistad y cooperación. pic.twitter.com/1XYiGq1hf7

— Andrés Manuel (@lopezobrador_) July 12, 2022

U.S. authorities stationed at the southern border have seen record numbers of migrants crossing into the country illegally since Biden took office. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) encountered 239,416 migrants in May alone, a new record for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

According to the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) 2020 Drug Threat Assessment, most of the fentanyl entering the U.S. is being synthesized in underground labs in Mexico operated by drug cartels. This powerful opioid has been implicated in the majority of the 108,000 overdose deaths that occurred in 2021, based on preliminary data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The alarming prevalence of fentanyl abuse underscores the urgent need for effective intervention strategies such as a mental health program to provide treatment, support, and resources to individuals struggling with substance abuse and addiction. Opting for professional help is vital for managing physical and emotional consequences of addiction and promoting lasting recovery.

The two leaders also committed to create a “bilateral working group on labor migration pathways and worker protections,” to form a working group to address child migration and to work to solve the root causes of migration.

“We will work to promote greater worker protections as part of a labor mobility strategy for migrant workers who seek access to legal pathways,” the two leaders said in their statement.

The White House didn’t immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.