Mexico is pursuing diplomatic and legal solutions to the flow of illegal U.S. guns fueling crime and violence across the country.
Kelsey Reichmann, February 4, 2025
Courthouse News
Courthouse News
Mexico is pushing the U.S. to stem the flow of illegal firearms fueling violence, drugs and migration across the southwest border.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum linked the tariff ceasefire to the U.S. government’s commitment to stop the trafficking of high-powered weapons, and next month, Mexico will ask for the U.S. Supreme Court’s endorsement on its lawsuit against gun manufacturers.
Firearms are tightly restricted in Mexico, which only has one authorized gun dealer. Mexican citizens must pass extensive background checks to purchase firearms, and Mexican law restricts the type, caliber, and quantity of firearms available for legal purchase.
Still, cartels have flooded the nation with illegal firearms sold by U.S. gun manufacturers. The Mexican government estimated that around 200,000 U.S.-sourced firearms are smuggled into Mexico annually.
