Trump should expand his border crackdown. Timing is perfect to rein in Canada and Mexico

Zero. Zilch. Nada. That’s how many illegal aliens have been released into the interior of our country for the past 12 months under President Donald Trump. The Trump administration swiftly ended the Biden era’s disastrous and dangerous catch-and-release policies and reinstated proper vetting protocols. Under 47, our country has sent a clear message: America’s border is secure and closed to lawbreakers.  

Exhausted border communities and law enforcement agencies, once overwhelmed by uncontrolled migration flows, finally have relief under Trump’s security posture, achieving nearly full operational control of the border and fundamentally altering the security landscape of the U.S.

For years, the American public watched the southern border with justified anxiety while the northern border flew under the radar, unpoliced, and largely ignored. Criminal cartels took notice of how President Joe Biden and Democrat politicians threw open the northern border, too, which devolved into a hot spot for human traffickers and terrorists – 358 known or suspected terrorists were apprehended at the northern border last year alone.

Fortunately, the Trump administration put a spotlight on the vulnerabilities at our northern border and equipped northern Border Patrol units with proper tactical resources and patrol assets, especially those retrofitted for winter conditions.

DHS BLAMES ‘WEAK’ BIDEN BORDER POLICIES AFTER PIRACY-LINKED SOMALI ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT NABBED AT NORTHERN BORDER

A large group of illegal immigrants is seen from above in Texas near the Mexican border. (Texas Department of Public Safety)

The Trump administration has wisely recognized that national security and trade are inherently intertwined. If our trade partners to the north and south cannot or will not secure their side of the fence against fentanyl precursors, human smuggling and illicit trade that undercuts American workers, they cannot expect a seamless path into the American market. It’s that simple.

The northern border, in particular, has become a sieve for organized crime. While the world watches the Rio Grande, cartels and Chinese state-linked actors have found a more polite entry point through our northern neighbor. Billions of dollars in illicit products are being transshipped through Canada, bypassing standard inspections and gutting the U.S. economy.

Of course, current trade data doesn’t account for these shadow economies draining the American treasury. We need a dedicated task force focused entirely on dismantling these smuggling pipelines and holding Canada responsible for its lax policies. National security demands that we stop treating trade agreements as static documents and start using them as active tools for law enforcement.

MASSIVE MEXICO-CALIFORNIA BORDER BUSTS UNCOVER EYE-POPPING AMOUNT OF DRUGS: ‘REMAIN VIGILANT’

The July deadline for the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) joint review is the most significant strategic lever the White House holds to secure our nation’s frontiers. By threatening not to renew the tripartite agreement this summer, the Trump administration could leverage key concessions from Canada and Mexico.

Trump and his negotiators could ensure that our North American partners knock off their reckless policies that endanger America’s security and finally get serious about border security and agree to properly patrol, enforce and secure their sides of the border. 

There is more to trade policy than just protecting domestic industry, and the Trump administration is rightly focusing on stopping the flow of deadly poison into American communities. The upcoming July renegotiations are the perfect opportunity to harmonize trade policy with border enforcement.

PRESIDENT TRUMP’S DRUG CONTROL STRATEGY SETS THE PATH TO END THE DRUG CRISIS FOR GOOD

We must launch a comprehensive war on illicit trade within the framework of the USMCA. For years, trade language has been toothless, focusing almost exclusively on simple counterfeiting. This overly narrow focus has created avenues for criminal cartels and foreign terrorist organizations to exploit for smuggling and sophisticated money laundering.

We need to expand the legal definitions within the agreement to treat the movement of illicit goods as a direct violation of the trade partnership, allowing for immediate sanctions and the suspension of trade privileges for companies or regions that facilitate these shadow pipelines.

The northern border, in particular, has become a sieve for organized crime. While the world watches the Rio Grande, cartels and Chinese state-linked actors have found a more polite entry point through our northern neighbor. 

CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINION

The United States must also demand that our partners enforce all of their borders. Currently, both Mexico and Canada exploit various indigenous-rights exceptions as a legal shield to ignore lawless zones within their borders. These unpoliced tribal areas have been systematically infiltrated by organized crime.

These zones act as a black hole for law enforcement, serving as manufacturing hubs for contraband that eventually floods into American streets. The USMCA must be updated to ensure that no geographic zone is exempt from basic security standards and transparency requirements.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

The July deadline marks a fork in the road: We can continue to allow our trade partners to ignore the security costs of their self-inflicted lawlessness, or we can use the sunset clock to force their hands and drive a new era of accountability.

If Canada and Mexico want access to the world’s most lucrative market, the United States of America, they must prove they are willing to be active, responsible partners in the war against fentanyl and illicit trade. President Trump has secured our borders. Now it is time for Canada and Mexico to hold up their side of the bargain.