Mexico sends 37 more drug cartel suspects to US amid Trump attack threats

Mexican Security Minister Omar Garcia Harfuch says US had promised that suspects will not face the death penalty.Published On 21 Jan 2026Mexico has sent another 37 alleged members of Mexican criminal organisations to the United States, the country’s security minister said, amid US President Donald Trump’s threat of ground attacks against drug cartels in the region.The handover of alleged drug cartel members on Tuesday is the third major transfer to the US in the past year and brings the total number of suspects transferred to 92.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 32025: Trump’s year of ’emergency’, ‘invasion’ and ‘narcoterrorism’list 2 of 3How strong are Latin America’s military forces, as they face US threats?list 3 of 3Trump signs executive order labelling fentanyl ‘weapon of mass destruction’end of listImages posted by Mexican Security Minister Omar Garcia Harfuch on X showed rows of fully-armed Mexican security personnel lined up next to a plane, as several armoured vehicles, presumably transporting the suspects, arrived.“With this transfer, 92 high-impact criminals have now been sent to the US during this administration, preventing them from generating violence in our country,” Harfuch said on X.The suspects were flown to Washington, Houston, New York, Pennsylvania, San Antonio, and San Diego on board seven Mexican Armed Forces aircraft, the minister said.The latest swap occurred amid growing tension with Washington over cartel activity and repeated threats by President Trump to attack cartels inside Mexico’s borders with or without the Mexican government’s permission.Those transferred by Mexico on Tuesday were wanted by US authorities due to their alleged links with criminal organisations, and presented public safety risks, Mexico’s military said in a statement.Mexican lawmakers and legal experts have disputed the political and legal grounds for the government’s prisoner transfers to the US.