Binational agreement to decrease weapons trafficking on the border

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- U.S. and Mexican governments announced a new binational collaboration aimed at stopping weapons and ammunition trafficking along the border.

The U.S. Department of State announced last weekend the initiative called Mission Firewall, in which both countries agreed to "dismantle the narcoterrorists, end the fentanyl crisis, strengthen border security, combat illicit finance, prevent fuel theft, and increase investigations and prosecutions to halt the flow of drugs and illicit firearms that fuel narcoterrorism."

U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ronald Johnson posted on X that both countries launched the mission and for the first time, the U.S. and Mexico will be implementing joint inspections, real-time info-sharing and expanded investigations to stop weapons fueling cartels.

"Historic cooperation to protect both nations," Ambassador Johnson said.

"Mission Firewall marks a new chapter in U.S.–Mexico cooperation. eTrace and ballistic imaging will expand to all 32 Mexican states, with enhanced info-sharing, more joint investigations, and new inspections to stop the southbound flow of firearms," Ambassador Johnson added.

According to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Weapons and Ammunition Seizures Dashboard, this fiscal year 2025, the CBP El Paso Office of Field Operations has had 26 seizures of weapons attempted to be smuggled into Mexico and 49 seizures attempted to be smuggled into the United States.