In recent months, President Trump has repeatedly vowed to destroy Mexican cartels and end the spread of fentanyl in the United States. However, in blocking foreign aid he has also temporarily halted U.S.-funded anti-drug programs in Mexico, which have been trying to stem the flow of synthetic opioids for years.
As reported by Reuters, all programs of the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL) in the south are currently suspended due to the funding freeze. The agency’s projects focus primarily on dismantling the fentanyl supply chain.
INL activities include training Mexican authorities to search for and destroy clandestine fentanyl laboratories and to prevent the precursor chemicals needed to produce the illicit drug from entering the country. In Mexico, the INL also provided drug-sniffing dogs that helped seize millions of fentanyl pills in 2023 alone.
Through the agency’s plans, the U.S. has collaborated with Mexican authorities working on the front lines of drug enforcement, including the military, prosecutors and police. In addition to drugs, the INL has also provided support to combat illegal immigration and human trafficking.
Now, after Trump ordered a freeze on most U.S. foreign aid last Jan. 20, saying he wanted to ensure that spending was in line with his “America First” policy, the agency’s projects have come to a forced halt. A source familiar with the situation said the administration was considering a waiver to allow funding for some foreign anti-drug programs, but it was unclear whether INL’s Mexican projects were among them.
“By pausing this assistance, the United States undercuts its own ability to manage a crisis affecting millions of Americans,” said Dafna H. Rand, former director of the Office of Foreign Assistance at the State Department from 2021 to 2023, “U.S. foreign assistance programs in Mexico are countering the fentanyl supply chain by training local security services and ensuring maximum U.S.-Mexican cooperation in the fight against this deadly drug.”
Since returning to the White House, President Trump has threatened to impose 25 percent tariffs on Mexico if the country does not stop the flow of fentanyl into the United States and control illegal immigration. He also ordered the State Department to designate the cartels as foreign terrorist organizations. However, the administration has not yet specified which drug lords will be affected by this measure.
