Mexico is launching a new border security unit in the state of Sonora, which officials say is the first of its kind in the country.
The unit will be made up of 18 state police officers who have completed special training with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, according to Sonoran officials.
The goal of the new unit is to improve border security with a focus on intelligence and technology, and it will have bases at ports of entry along the Sonora-Arizona border.
President Donald Trump’s ambassador to Mexico, Ronald Johnson, called the new unit a “concrete step to stop the flow of illicit drugs, weapons, and people” on social media.
La nueva Unidad Fronteriza en Sonora es un paso concreto para frenar el flujo ilícito de drogas, armas y personas, al tiempo que fortalece el comercio y los lazos comunitarios. Una frontera segura beneficia a ambos países, al crear un entorno en el que los ciudadanos puedan…
— Embajador Ronald Johnson (@USAmbMex) August 4, 2025
Mexico hasn’t clarified whether or not the new unit will be responsible for apprehending migrants attempting to cross into the United States.
Trump has made border security a top issue for his administration and has tied his decisions to delay tariffs on Mexico to the country’s ability to curb the flow of synthetic drugs across the border.
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