Dear John,

Last week, President Trump first announced the imposition of a 25% tariff on Mexican goods, then announced a month-long pause on application of the tariff, citing Mexico’s agreement to send more military troops to its northern border. Mexico now faces even more pressure to align with U.S. enforcement priorities on migration and security—an approach that has become increasingly militarized. At WOLA, we are closely monitoring how these developments will shape U.S.-Mexico relations and the impact on human rights in Mexico. 

To help make sense of the current moment, I recently collaborated with WOLA’s Drug Policy Director, John Walsh, on an updated Q&A analyzing Trump’s proposals on fentanyl trafficking and migration at the US-Mexican border. This builds on our December Q&A, analyzing the impacts of these proposals as they emerge. With a growing focus on aggressive enforcement measures, trade penalties, and heightened pressure on Mexico, our analysis highlights what’s at stake and what to watch for in the coming months.

Meanwhile, WOLA continues to advocate for policies that uphold human rights and accountability in the region. We recently supported a bill introduced by Representative Joaquin Castro and others aimed at reducing the flow of U.S. firearms to criminal groups in Mexico and beyond—an urgent issue that fuels violence and instability. At this difficult moment, we remain committed to pushing for policies that prioritize justice, human rights, and meaningful cooperation over threats and coercion.

Sincerely,

Stephanie Brewer

Director for Mexico

For human rights activists across Latin America right now, the stakes are high. Violence around elections is on the rise, as are threats against those who speak in favor of justice and accountability.

Your support of WOLA creates space to amplify the voices of those who put their life on the line to champion human rights; from Caracas, to San Salvador, and everywhere in between.

"I don’t expect [the Venezuelan migrants returned on deportation flights] to have any guarantee of due process upon return. If anything, I think there could be retaliations against people that had fled to the U.S.”

Laura Dib

Director for Venezuela

– The New York Times, Venezuelan Planes Fly Deported Migrants From U.S. to Venezuela

“If you’re developing day-to-day working relationships with police units that are carrying out complex investigations, you can’t just walk away from that. Not only have you badly disrupted their operations, you’ve violated trust and credibility.”

Adam Isacson

Director for Defense Oversight

– The Wall Street Journal, How Trump’s Aid Freeze Could Drive More Drugs and Migrants to U.S. Streets

"Anything to do with cooperation that promotes the rights of LGBTIQ+ people or the termination of pregnancy will not be funded by US cooperation. It is still unclear which issues will be funded." This article is in Spanish.

Carolina Jiménez Sandoval

President

– France24, El futuro de USAID pende de un hilo: lo que está en juego para las mujeres y la población LGBTIQ+

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