Mexico has officially raised concerns with the United States over reports of a proposed military base near the shared border, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed on Wednesday.

Addressing reporters during her daily press briefing, President Sheinbaum said a diplomatic note had been delivered to Washington, expressing Mexico’s position on the issue. She acknowledged that while the US has sovereignty over its own territory, any move must not affect Mexico or breach its jurisdiction.

“We respect their autonomy, but we expect the same level of coordination and cooperation on security that we’ve maintained so far,” Sheinbaum stated, according to Xinhua news agency.

The concern stems from reports suggesting that the US may establish a military installation along its southern border to combat irregular migration and related activities. On Tuesday, US Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum visited New Mexico to announce the emergency transfer of nearly 109,651 acres of federal land to the US Army.

According to a statement from the Interior Department, the land is being transferred to enable increased patrols and the construction of infrastructure aimed at preventing unlawful entry, countering terrorist threats, and curbing narcotics trafficking, migrant smuggling, and human trafficking.

While the US has not provided specific details on the scope or function of the proposed military presence, Sheinbaum emphasized Mexico’s commitment to tackling the root causes of migration, such as poverty and violence, and urged the US to ensure that any action respects human rights and avoids harm to communities on both sides of the border.

She also noted that similar US troop deployments have occurred in the past and said that her administration is maintaining regular communication with Washington to avoid any strain on bilateral ties.

US media have reported that President Donald Trump, who is campaigning for re-election, issued a memo on April 11 instructing federal agencies to transfer jurisdiction of borderland to the military. His administration is reportedly evaluating plans for a new base to increase border enforcement.