Binational agreement to decrease weapons trafficking on the border

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- U.S. and Mexican governments announced a new binational partnership 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 from 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 (CBP) Weapons and Ammunition Seizures Dashboard, in 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.

CBP El Paso OFO recently seized firearms at the Ysleta Port of Entry.

“Stopping the flow of illegal currency, firearms, and ammunition is an important part of disrupting the illegal activities of criminal and foreign terrorist organizations operating in our U.S.-Mexico border region,” said CBP El Paso Director of Field Operations Hector Mancha. “By denying these dangerous organizations the flow of illicit money, weapons, and ammunition, our CBP officers assist our law enforcement partners on both sides of the border as they contend with these threats.”

Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum said over the weekend that they have had a really good relationship with the U.S. this year.

"And we told them, they always say the central issue is what goes from Mexico to the United States, but now we want, for the first time, the first thing to be discussed is the weapons that come from the United States to Mexico," said President Sheinbaum.

"And yesterday we reached an agreement that the United States will strengthen operations in the United States to control the flow of weapons from the United States to Mexico," President Sheinbaum added. "An agreement of this kind has never been reached."

"Through the leadership and close collaboration of President Trump and President Sheinbaum, the United States and Mexico are embarking on a new chapter of security cooperation based on mutual security interests, reaffirming their shared vision for a safer and more prosperous region," the Department of State said in a news release.

Juárez Mayor Cruz Pérez Cuéllar said this is a historic step forward in the U.S.-Mexico relationship.

"I congratulate them on this agreement, I think it will be useful for us on the border of course, but also for the entire country because it is full of weapons and to the extent that it is a big business," said Mayor Pérez Cuéllar. "In some way, other United States administrations turned their eyes the other way, surely because it leaves a lot of money, but now we have to recognize the Trump administration for recognizing the issue and for working in a coordinated manner."

Congresswoman Veronica Escobar also said this is just one part of what needs to happen, because according to her.

"Some of the most dangerous firearms, semiautomatic weapons, there's no reason for those to be manufactured or sold to Americans, or for those to end up in the hands of cartels," Congresswoman Escobar said. "Unless you are a soldier at war or out in training, unless there is a reason for you to have that kind of weapon, no one should have a weapon like that; there's just no reason for that."

ABC-7 reached out to the office of Congressman Tony Gonzales for comment.