Noem, Sheinbaum agree to work to stop illegal immigration and drug trafficking

After visiting Colombia and El Salvador, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem ended her tour of Latin America in Mexico, where she met with President Claudia Sheinbaum to discuss issues affecting both countries, such as drug trafficking and illegal immigration.

At the end of the meeting, held at the National Palace, Noem and Sheinbaum agreed that both governments should promote measures that strengthen the bilateral alliance and others that serve to combat all those problems that damage the security of the two countries, mainly on the border.

"Mexico’s deployment of National Guard troops to the border and acceptance of deportation flights is a positive step," Noem said immediately after meeting with the Mexican president, adding that "there is still much work to be done to stop the flow of drugs and illegal immigrants into our country."

"Our partnership will help make America and the Central American region safe again," Noem stated.

Sheinbaum described the dialogue she had with the Secretary of Homeland Security as "fruitful."

"We received at the National Palace the secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, with whom we had a profitable meeting for the benefit of Mexico and the United States. Our countries maintain a good relationship within the framework of respect for sovereignty," the Mexican president posted on X.

It was not disclosed whether they discussed the tariff war between the U.S. and Mexico.

Previously, Noem was in Colombia and El Salvador.

During her visit to El Salvador, the secretary of homeland security visited the Center for the Confinement of Terrorism (CECOT), along with her Salvadoran counterpart, Gustavo Villatoro, the maximum security prison where thousands of criminals are held, including members of the maras and the dangerous Tren de Aragua gang. Later, she met with President Nayib Bukele.

Afterwards, Noem traveled to Colombia, where she met with President Gustavo Petro, among other Colombian leaders. The meeting resulted in an agreement for biometric data sharing and security cooperation.