DHS secretary pushes back on ‘misperception’ that Mexico is not a good partner in fight against fentanyl

Homeland Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas pushed back Sunday on the “misperception” that Mexico does not aid in the fight against fentanyl, noting that the country is an ally in the effort against the drug.

When asked about the fentanyl crisis by NBC’s Chuck Todd on “Meet the Press,” Mayorkas responded that “there’s a misperception that Mexico is not a good partner,” when combatting the spread of fentanyl.

“They are an ally. And we have a very close partnership with them,” Mayorkas added.

When asked why Mexico does not help with the issue of fentanyl, the secretary reiterated that it is a “misconception” that Mexico does not help, adding that the department has personnel in Mexico to address any fentanyl issues with the U.S. border. He said that while he can’t speak for Mexico President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, the U.S. does work closely with partners in Mexico to address the crisis.

“I can’t speak to his public statements,” Mayorkas said. “I can speak to what happens on the ground operationally. And we work very closely with our Mexican partners. You know, that fentanyl though, you know, the precursor chemicals, the equipment used to manufacture it, much of it originates in China. And we’ve got to stop that flow.”

Mayorkas has been under fire by Republicans for his handling of the Mexico-US border, especially regarding the issue of fentanyl trafficking. GOP senators introduced a bill earlier this month that would designate nine separate drug cartels in Mexico as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO), saying that those organizations are responsible for fentanyl in the United States.