Mexican President Says She Has Plan to Receive Deported Mexicans From US

Trump has indicated he may deploy military assets to carry out deportations.

Customs and Border Protection agents check pedestrians as they exit Mexico into the customs area of the United States on the east side of the San Ysidro port of entry in Tijuana, Mexico, on Nov. 19, 2018. Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said her government is ready to receive and support Mexican nationals deported from the United States if the incoming Trump administration follows through on its pledge of mass deportations.

“In the event of deportations, we will receive Mexicans, and we have a plan for that,” Sheinbaum said on Nov. 21 at a press conference in Mexico City, according to a translation. “However, we will work beforehand to show that our nationals who are on the other side of the border do not have to be deported, as they actually benefit the U.S. economy.”

President-elect Donald Trump has made immigration enforcement a centerpiece of his 2024 campaign and has vowed to begin deportations as soon as he takes office. On Nov. 18, he posted “TRUE!!!” in response to a social media post saying that he would declare a national emergency and deploy military assets for the task.

When asked about Trump’s plans, Sheinbaum said she does not agree with “treating migrants as criminals.”

“Justice institutions exist for a reason,” Sheinbaum said, promising to engage with Trump’s team to highlight the contributions Mexicans make to the United States, including the taxes they pay and the services they provide.

Sheinbaum said she will have a meeting on Nov. 21 with her Cabinet to strategize discussions with Trump’s team. Key topics will include trade, immigration, security, cultural exchanges, and trilateral relations with Canada.

“We do have a plan,” Sheinbaum reiterated. “We are prepared and, when there is opportunity, we are going to have this conversation with President Trump’s team.”

Trump has previously leveraged a national emergency declaration to advance his border security goals. In 2019, he used emergency powers to redirect Pentagon funds toward building a border wall along the border with Mexico, a move that faced significant legal challenges.

It remains unclear whether Trump plans to use the military to directly enforce immigration laws, allocate military funds for deportations, or pursue another approach. However, the U.S. military has long supported immigration and border operations under both Republican and Democratic administrations.

According to the U.S. Northern Command, about 4,000 service members—mostly National Guard members—are currently authorized to assist U.S. Customs and Border Protection along the southwest border.

Trump has also said he would invoke the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to remove suspected criminal gang members from U.S. soil without due process. That founding-era law specifically allows the president to detain, relocate, or deport people from countries with which the United States is at war, that have invaded the United States, or that have committed “predatory incursions.”