Brady Responds to President Trump’s Plans to Use Tariffs and Troops to Address Immigration; Urges Attention on U.S. Gun Trafficking

President Trump’s immigration plans ignore the role of U.S. firearms in driving violence and instability in Mexico and Latin America. 

Washington, D.C., February 3, 2025 — Brady, the nation's leading gun violence prevention organization, today urged the Trump Administration to address the U.S. gun industry’s role in arming trans-national cartels and fueling violence in Mexico and Latin America, spurring increased immigration across our southern border. President Trump recently announced U.S. tariffs targeting imports from Mexico, which he then paused after Mexico President Sheinbaum promised to send 10,000 troops to the border. President Sheinbaum stated that as part of the agreement, the U.S. has committed to working to address firearms trafficking into Mexico. 

A majority of the families arriving at the U.S. southern border cite violence – largely facilitated by the illegal trafficking of U.S. firearms – as a key reason for leaving their home country. Every year, an estimated 200,000-500,000 U.S. firearms flow across the southern border into Mexico.

Brady President Kris Brown said: 

“President Trump has made cracking down on Latin American immigrants a core pillar of his presidency – but his actions ignore the root causes of instability in Mexico and Latin America that force families to have to migrate in the first place. Instead of redirecting U.S. troops or inciting a dangerous trade war, Trump must address the obvious role of the U.S. gun industry and take actions to enforce the common-sense laws already on the books. 

“The facts are clear: American guns are arming drug cartels, spurring violent crime, and exhausting our immigration system. If the U.S. is truly committed to working to prevent the trafficking of high-powered weapons to Mexico, as indicated in the agreement with Mexico, President Trump needs to craft a plan to ensure that gun manufacturers do not do business with those who break the law, fund the ATF, and instead of diverting agents to focus on immigration enforcement, allow them to focus on holding rogue gun dealers accountable. And Brady is ready to help.  

“President Trump can continue to pursue an unnecessary trade war with untold harm for millions of everyday Americans. Or he can responsibly oversee the U.S. gun industry and finally stop the flow of illegal weapons across our southern border. At Brady, we urge the President and his team to take the commonsense – and effective – approach.”