Mexico, US in formal talks on bilateral issues, says Mexican Prez Sheinbaum

Mexico and the US have begun formal talks on bilateral issues, including immigration and security, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced.

The talks started on Tuesday after newly-appointed US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called his Mexican counterpart, Juan Ramon de la Fuente, according to Sheinbaum, who shared the update during her regular morning press conference at the National Palace in Mexico City.

“It was a very good, very cordial conversation,” Sheinbaum said, adding that the discussion covered immigration and security matters. She emphasized that contrary to speculation about a lack of communication between the two governments, the formal talks were officially established the previous day.

The president noted that Rubio’s first call as secretary of state was made to Mexico, calling it a “very cordial” conversation. She also mentioned that the foreign minister, De la Fuente, informed her about the call.

In a statement issued Wednesday, Rubio outlined the priorities of his department, with immigration being at the top of the list, as reported by Xinhua news agency.

Since his re-election campaign, US President Donald Trump has threatened to take a hard stance on undocumented migrants and drug trafficking. On his first day in office, he signed several executive orders impacting Mexico, including ending the CBP One™ Mobile Application program, which allowed migrants to schedule asylum hearings with US immigration authorities without needing to travel to the border.

Trump also reinstated an immigration policy known as “Remain in Mexico,” which requires asylum seekers to stay in Mexico while their cases are processed by US immigration courts.