Mexico is ready. That’s the message Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum gave to the public earlier in the week, saying that her administration is prepared to handle a potential influx of deported Mexican nationals once Donald Trump takes office on January 20.
Speaking at a Thursday press conference, wrote The Daily Caller, Sheinbaum urged that immigrants not be treated as “criminals” and affirmed her government’s commitment to repatriating citizens who may be forced to return. The recently elected leftist leader emphasized that Mexican nationals contribute significantly to the U.S. economy and should not face deportation.
“In the event of deportations, we will receive Mexicans, and we have a plan for that,” Sheinbaum said in Spanish. “However, we will work beforehand to show that our nationals who are on the other side of the border do not have to be deported, as they actually benefit the U.S. economy.”
Sheinbaum also announced plans to convene her cabinet to strategize for upcoming talks with Trump’s administration. The meeting will address Mexico’s response to potential policy changes, including Trump’s pledge to end birthright citizenship, resume construction of the border wall, and implement what he has called the “largest deportation program in American history.”
The incoming president recently confirmed plans to declare a national emergency and utilize military assets to support his deportation agenda. These measures could put him at odds with Sheinbaum, who has taken a more sympathetic stance toward migrants. Sheinbaum, sworn into office in October, is a close ally of former President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and a member of the Morena Party.
The stakes are high for Sheinbaum, as the Mexican economy relies heavily on remittances sent by the millions of Mexicans living in the U.S. According to Pew Research, of the estimated 17 million illegal migrants in the U.S., approximately four million are Mexican nationals. In 2023, remittances from Mexicans abroad exceeded $63 billion, according to the most recent study.
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Get the felons, cartels OK?