The US Department of Justice announced Wednesday a new initiative aimed at “total elimination of Cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations,” prompting Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum to suggest the US should first address drug trafficking issues within its own borders.

The initiative, outlined in a February 5 DOJ memo, follows President Trump’s directive to revise national security and counter-narcotics strategies. The plan includes enhanced prosecution powers, reduced bureaucratic barriers, and strengthened enforcement against human smuggling operations through existing task forces.

During her Friday press conference, President Sheinbaum emphasized the need for coordination rather than subordination: “They should start with their own country… never subordination or interference; it is coordination.” She questioned the US approach, highlighting domestic factors in the drug crisis: “How does fentanyl or any other drug get there? Who brings it across the border? Who operates the distribution of the drug?”

The announcement follows Trump’s day-one executive order designating drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations and declaring a national emergency at the US-Mexico border, enabling military deployment to the region.

ICE Acting Director Tom Homan indicated Trump’s willingness to use military force against cartels if necessary, particularly if US troops face threats. “I think the cartels would be foolish to take on the military, but we know they’ve taken on the Mexican military before,” Homan told ABC News Live.

Ioan Grillo, a Mexico-based crime journalist, expressed skepticism about the initiative’s ambitious goals. While supporting strong action against cartels, he warned that “total elimination of cartels sounds like an impossible task.” In an MVS Noticias interview, Grillo cautioned that aggressive US actions could spark a diplomatic crisis or worse conflict, noting that targeting individual cartel members would have limited impact given the estimated 180,000 people working for cartels.

The article maintains the key information while improving flow and clarity, organizing related points together, and maintaining a balanced presentation of both US and Mexican perspectives.