Mexican officials say 29 cartel members sent to the U.S. were requested by U.S. government

JUAREZ, Chihuahua (KVIA) -- Mexican members of the safety cabinet held a news conference today to speak about the 29 cartel members' extraditions from Mexico to the U.S. on Thursday, saying some will face justice between 11 and 40 years later.

Mexico's Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection, Omar García Harfuch, Mexico's Attorney General Alejandro Gertz, and Mexico's Secretary of Foreign Affairs Juan Ramón de la Fuente met with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, and U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi on Thursday to discuss security and immigration in both countries.

Mexico Attorney General Gertz, along with Secretary García Harfuch, said these 29 cartel members and leaders were not extradited or expelled to the U.S., but they were sent to U.S. soil per request of the U.S. government.

Today, Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum said during a news conference that she "celebrates" that the Mexican people have chosen to radically transform the system of the Judicial Power to eliminate the corruption that exists within it and in the country.

"I can tell you one thing, the corruption of the Judicial Power in our country is aberrant and offensive. It is good that the people of Mexico decided to radically change the Judicial Power from its roots," President Sheinbaum said. "That is a blessing for Mexico what we are going to experience this year, to elect the judges, magistrates and ministers; and that the people can now save the Judicial Power from this offensive corruption for the people."

ABC-7 reached out to regional experts to learn what these recent transfers of longtime Mexican cartel members to the U.S. mean for both countries and the impacts they could have.