MEXICO CITY. Mexico has extradited 26 suspected members of major drug cartels to the United States, amid growing pressure from President Donald Trump for tougher action against organized crime.
In a joint statement on Tuesday, Mexico’s attorney general’s office and security ministry said the prisoners, wanted in the U.S. for alleged ties to drug-trafficking groups, were transferred to face charges in American courts. This is the second large-scale extradition this year, following the transfer of 29 alleged cartel leaders in February, which sparked debate over the political and legal implications of such actions.
The U.S. Embassy in Mexico said the group included key figures from the Jalisco New Generation Cartel and the Sinaloa Cartel, the country’s two most powerful criminal organizations.
“This transfer is yet another example of what is possible when two governments unite against violence and impunity,” U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ronald Johnson said. “These fugitives will now face justice in American courts, and the citizens of both our nations will be safer.”
President Claudia Sheinbaum’s decision to allow the extraditions reflects the delicate balancing act she faces — cooperating with Washington while resisting Trump’s threats of unilateral U.S. military action in Mexico.
Trump has linked tariffs on Mexican goods to the fentanyl trade, accusing Mexico of not doing enough to dismantle drug cartels. Last week, he ordered the Pentagon to prepare operations against Mexican gangs designated as global terrorist organizations.
Sheinbaum has said the two countries are close to finalizing a security agreement to boost cooperation against organized crime, but has firmly rejected any U.S. military intervention on Mexican soil.
