The Trump administration secretly welcomed 17 relatives of notorious Sinaloa Cartel figures into the United States as part of a high-stakes negotiation with Ovidio Guzmán López, son of infamous drug lord “El Chapo.”
Key Takeaways
- Seventeen family members of Sinaloa Cartel leaders crossed the U.S. border from Tijuana as part of a deal with the Trump administration
- The border crossing is connected to negotiations with Ovidio Guzmán López, who was extradited to the U.S. in 2023
- Mexican Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch confirmed the crossing was arranged through U.S. Justice Department negotiations
- Guzmán López is reportedly expected to plead guilty to avoid trial and cooperate with U.S. authorities
- U.S. prosecutors have announced expanded “narcoterrorism” charges against top Sinaloa Cartel leadership
Cartel Family Members Enter U.S. Under Secret Agreement
In a startling development at the southern border, seventeen family members of high-ranking Sinaloa Cartel figures have been permitted to enter the United States through an official border crossing in Tijuana. The unprecedented move comes as part of ongoing negotiations with Ovidio Guzmán López, son of former cartel kingpin Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, who was extradited to the U.S. in 2023. Mexican Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch confirmed the crossing, which was captured on video, stating it resulted from direct negotiations between Guzmán López and U.S. officials.
The family members crossed into U.S. territory where they were met by American agents on the other side of the border. According to Mexican authorities, these individuals are not themselves wanted for crimes in Mexico. The arranged crossing signals a significant shift in how the Trump administration is handling negotiations with high-value cartel targets, prioritizing intelligence gathering over traditional prosecution approaches.
“It is evident that his family is going to the U.S. because of a negotiation or an offer that the Department of Justice is giving him” Said Garcia Harfuch, Mexican Security Secretary.
A Strategic Deal for Cartel Intelligence
Sources familiar with the case indicate that Guzmán López is expected to plead guilty to avoid a lengthy federal trial on drug trafficking charges. His cooperation likely involves providing U.S. authorities with valuable intelligence on the Sinaloa Cartel’s vast criminal network and operations. Since his father’s imprisonment, Ovidio Guzmán López has emerged as a leader of one faction of the splintered Sinaloa Cartel, giving him insider knowledge of the organization’s structure and activities.
The arrangement has raised questions about information sharing between U.S. and Mexican authorities. García Harfuch noted that the U.S. government “has to share information” with Mexican prosecutors, which he claims has not yet occurred. This lack of coordination highlights ongoing tensions in the binational effort to combat cartel operations, even as the Trump administration pursues aggressive new tactics against drug trafficking organizations.
U.S. Expands War Against Sinaloa Cartel
The family transfer agreement comes amid an intensified campaign by the Trump administration against the Sinaloa Cartel. The U.S. Attorney General’s Office recently announced expanded charges against top cartel leaders for “narcoterrorism,” signaling a hardened approach to dismantling Mexico’s most powerful drug trafficking organization. These charges represent an escalation in the legal arsenal being deployed against cartel leadership.
“Let me be direct, to the leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel, you are no longer the hunters, you are the hunted. You will be betrayed by your friends, you will be hounded by your enemies, and you will ultimately find yourself and your face here in a courtroom in the Southern District of California” Said Attorney Adam Gordon
The Biden-Harris administration had previously struggled to make significant inroads against the cartel’s operations, which have fueled the fentanyl crisis claiming thousands of American lives. The Trump administration’s new approach combines aggressive prosecution with strategic negotiations for intelligence gathering. Critics question whether welcoming cartel family members sets a dangerous precedent, while supporters argue that obtaining insider cooperation is necessary to effectively combat these sophisticated criminal enterprises.
Border Security Implications
This exceptional border crossing arrangement comes at a time when the southern border remains a focal point of national security concerns. The Trump administration has prioritized ending the massive wave of illegal immigration that overwhelmed border resources during the previous administration. The controlled entry of these cartel family members stands in stark contrast to the administration’s broader border security agenda, highlighting the complex balance between intelligence gathering and immigration enforcement.
American officials have not publicly commented on specific arrangements provided to the family members, including their immigration status or any protective measures being taken. The calculated risk of allowing these individuals into the country underscores the high value placed on Guzmán López’s cooperation in the broader strategy to dismantle the Sinaloa Cartel’s deadly fentanyl trafficking operations targeting American communities Stated by, Cartel
