Velázquez Leads 37 Elected Officials from the U.S. and Mexico in Joint Statement Condemning Threats of Military Action
WASHINGTON- Today, Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) led 37 elected officials from the United States and Mexico in a joint statement condemning military threats by the Trump administration and calling for increased cooperation between the two nations to address shared challenges like addressing the root causes of migration, preventing arms trafficking, and strengthening the rights of workers on both sides of the border.
From the United States she was joined by Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Andre Carson, Juan Vargas, Greg Casar, Norma Torres, Delia Ramirez, Chuy Garcia, Raúl Grijalva, Ilhan Omar, Summer Lee, Ayanna Pressley, Rashida Tlaib, and Jonathan Jackson. In Mexico, Alfonso Ramírez Cuéllar, Claudia Garcia, Javier Taja, Manuel Espino, Guillermo Santiago, Gabino Morales, Xóchitl Zagal, Mariá Teresa Ealy, Joaquín Cebadura, Julieta Vences, Gabriel García, Magdalena Rosales, Hugo Erick Flores, Juan Hugo de la Rosa, Meggie Salgado, Jorge Luis Sánchez, Luis Humberto Aldana, Karina Pérez Popoca, Rigoberto Salgado, Leonel Godoy, Antares Vázquez, Rufina Benítez, and Jamie López Vela joined the statement.
“We, Members of the United States Congress and the General Congress of the United Mexican States, write in unity to oppose the escalating threats of U.S. military action against Mexico: a neighbor, ally, and indispensable partner in building a more just and equitable hemisphere. Such an action would not only violate international law, but also trample over the principles of sovereignty, dignity, and democracy that must sit at the center of our countries’ most important bilateral relationship.
The United States and Mexico share far more than a 2,000-mile border. Our peoples are united by unbreakable bonds of family and friendship, of shared memories and shared dreams, and of business and commercial relations that continue to benefit both of our great nations. Nearly 40 million U.S. residents proudly trace their heritage to Mexico, while countless communities on both sides of the border have forged deep connections through generations of social, economic, and cultural exchange.
Any suggestion of military action against Mexico represents not only a dangerous departure from established diplomatic norms, but also a fundamental misunderstanding of our shared history and interconnected future. Such aggressive posturing threatens to unravel decades of progress in building trust, understanding, and cooperation between our nations.
The economic relationship between our countries exemplifies the power of partnership over intervention. As the United States’ largest trading partner, with bilateral trade exceeding $750 billion annually, Mexico stands as an essential partner in building a North American economy that benefits working families, small businesses, and communities on both sides of the border. We must acknowledge that our nations face real challenges, including forced migration and organized crime. However, these challenges demand collaborative solutions rooted in social justice, human rights, and environmental sustainability. They require us to strengthen, not weaken, the bonds of solidarity between our peoples.
We, the undersigned Members of Congress from both the United States and Mexico, therefore, call to pursue new avenues of bilateral cooperation — to address the root causes of migration, to prevent the traffic of arms across our shared border, and to strengthen the rights of workers on both of its sides, among other areas.
Our shared challenges require us to reimagine the U.S.-Mexico relationship for a new era of crisis and uncertainty. The border region should serve as a laboratory for innovative solutions to our common challenges, not as a militarized zone that divides our peoples. We stand ready to pursue policies that advance the wellbeing of our peoples while defending the sovereign equality of our nations.”
###