Deal with Sinaloa Cartel Allowing 17 Family Members to Enter the United States.
MEXICO CITY – Amid growing controversy, media reports suggest that the Trump administration allegedly made a deal with a leader of the notorious Sinaloa Cartel, allowing 17 family members of cartel boss Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán to enter the United States. These reports are based on statements by Mexican Security Chief Omar Hamid García Harfuch and independent investigations by journalists Hofmann, Zadah, and Chaparro. What began as mere suspicion has, in recent days, developed into an increasingly dense trail — a mosaic of clues that more clearly points to an actual deal between the U.S. government and the cartel.
On May 16, 2025, Mexican Security Chief García Harfuch confirmed that 17 family members of cartel boss Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán had entered the United States — allegedly as part of a deal between the Trump administration and Guzmán’s son, Ovidio Guzmán López, a leading member of the Sinaloa Cartel.
As early as May 12, 2025, it became known that the family — including Griselda López, Ovidio's mother, several nephews, a grandson named Archivaldo, and a daughter of "El Chapo" — had presented themselves to U.S. authorities at the San Ysidro border crossing in Tijuana. They reportedly entered with several branded suitcases and over $70,000 in cash.
Mexican Authorities Confirm Reports
In an interview with Radio Fórmula, García Harfuch stated that the entry of the family members was clearly part of a "negotiation" between the U.S. Department of Justice and Ovidio Guzmán López. García Harfuch further explained that the 17 family members did not have any arrest warrants and that their entry into the United States was voluntary.
"It is very clear that negotiations with the U.S. Department of Justice led to the family entering the United States," García Harfuch said.
A Deal That Raises Questions — and Clues That Grow More Convincing
For days, we have been investigating this case intensively, and the evidence is becoming increasingly substantial. More and more indications from Mexico suggest that this deal actually took place. It is not only the statements of García Harfuch but also reports and observations from the border regions that indicate that the family members' entry was part of a negotiated agreement. These revelations stand in stark contrast to Donald Trump’s immigration policy, in which he has consistently portrayed himself as a hardliner against illegal migration and cartel-affiliated groups.
The Alleged Deal and Its Context
Ovidio Guzmán López, the son of "El Chapo," was arrested by Mexican authorities in 2023 and extradited to the United States, where he is facing charges for various drug offenses. According to court documents dated May 6, 2025, he is expected to plead guilty as part of a deal on July 9, 2025.
However, it remains unclear whether and to what extent the deal with U.S. authorities included the entry of his family members. The Trump administration has not yet issued an official statement, and neither the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) nor Ovidio Guzmán’s attorney, Jeffrey Lichtman, have responded to inquiries.
U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer, a Democrat from New York, sharply criticized the alleged deal, accusing President Trump of having "allowed 17 relatives of El Chapo, one of the most notorious drug lords in the world, into the United States." "What message does that send? Who knows? Maybe he got a presidential helicopter from them," Schumer said sarcastically in a Facebook video.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum demanded on May 14, 2025, that the Trump administration clarify the circumstances of the family members' entry. "It must be clarified whether there is an agreement or not. They must explain this to the people of the United States... and also to Mexico," Sheinbaum said at a press conference.
Open Questions and Lack of Transparency
While the statements of Mexican Security Chief García Harfuch and the reports by Luis Chaparro point to a deal between the Trump administration and the Sinaloa Cartel, many details remain unclear.
Were the family members brought to the United States as part of a witness protection program?
What were the terms of the alleged deal between Ovidio Guzmán López and U.S. authorities?
Why were Mexican authorities not informed in advance?
But one thing is certain: The revelations already show the potential for an explosive political and diplomatic scandal. Trump owes more than just an explanation.
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