Michigan Senate Candidate Discusses Mexican Cartel Issues
Abdul El-Sayed, a Democratic candidate for the Senate from Michigan, expressed on Wednesday that the U.S. should address the challenges posed by Mexican cartels using “diplomatic” methods, attributing their growth to the availability of American firearms.
During his appearance on “The Moment Podcast,” co-hosts Jorge Ramos and Paola Ramos inquired about the Trump administration’s strategies against these cartels since President Trump began his second term in 2025.
When the topic of deploying troops or drones was raised, El-Sayed dismissed the notion, indicating that the U.S. shares some obligation for the cartels’ proliferation. “Let’s be clear, American-manufactured guns play a crucial role in the cartels’ operations,” he remarked.
El-Sayed called for cooperative efforts with Mexican authorities to manage the issues of drugs and guns crossing the border and to tackle what he referred to as “cartel behavior” that is fueled by U.S. weapons. He emphasized the importance of “working diplomatically” to identify the pathways of firearms that could potentially escalate to cartel activities.
He elaborated, “How do we address our side of things? We need to be serious about this complex cartel phenomenon and how it ties into the influx of fentanyl moving north.” El-Sayed’s campaign later reaffirmed his stance, stating that he was advocating for collaboration with the Mexican government to control the movement of arms and illegal substances.
Although El-Sayed has been critical of the lack of regulation on cross-border drug and gun trafficking, it’s worth noting that he previously supported the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The comments from El-Sayed arose following the Trump administration’s recent sanctions imposed by the Treasury Department on numerous individuals and entities tied to Los Mayos, a faction of the Sinaloa Cartel.
Fox News Digital reached out to both the White House and the Department of Homeland Security for their perspectives but did not receive a prompt response.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent commented at the time, “Today’s action underscores that no cartel kingpin, corrupt Mexican government official, or financial facilitator is beyond the reach of Treasury’s authorities.” His message highlighted a commitment to identify and dismantle any cartel activities that threaten U.S. security or financial stability.
