Latest news with #UnitedStates-Mexico
Newsweek
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Border Marines Now 'Operational' in Arizona After Trump Order
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Five hundred Marines and sailors from California's Camp Pendleton have been deployed on the United States-Mexico border in southern Arizona, where they've taken "operational responsibilities." The troops, part of Combat Logistics Battalion 15, 1st Marine Logistics Group, are operating as Task Force Forge under Joint Task Force–Southern Border. They are working alongside Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the U.S. Border Patrol. Newsweek reached out to U.S. Northern Command and CBP for comment via email. Why It Matters The Marine Corps announced the deployment on July 14. Their mission includes engineering and logistics work under President Donald Trump's January 20 executive order, which declared a national emergency at the southern border and called on the Department of Defense to step in. Days later, on January 23, an additional 500 Marines from Camp Pendleton were sent to San Diego and El Paso as part of Task Force Sapper. Members of the U.S. Army 212 Infantry 2nd Brigade stand next to the U.S.-Mexico border wall in Douglas, Arizona, as part of Joint Task Force Southern Border, on April 3, 2025 Members of the U.S. Army 212 Infantry 2nd Brigade stand next to the U.S.-Mexico border wall in Douglas, Arizona, as part of Joint Task Force Southern Border, on April 3, 2025 Ross D. Franklin/AP What To Know The Marines assigned to Task Force Forge spent several weeks training alongside Camp Pendleton personnel from Task Force Sapper before taking over duties along the border. Officials say the unit will establish operations east of Yuma to enhance ongoing support in the region. "As part of its deployment, Task Force Forge will establish its presence eastward in the Yuma sector, bolstering [the] current support activities in the region," military officials told The Orange County Register. Lieutenant Colonel Colin Graham, who leads Task Force Forge, told the outlet the mission is to support federal partners and maintain readiness while helping secure the border. There are now more than 10,000 military troops, including active‑duty soldiers and Marines and National Guard forces, stationed along the southern border. They are engaged in various support roles, such as logistics, barrier construction, surveillance, and data operations, in coordination with border agents. Under federal law, active-duty military personnel are prohibited from conducting domestic law enforcement. A U.S. Marine stationed at one of two border walls separating Mexico from the United States in San Diego, California, on March 21, 2025. A U.S. Marine stationed at one of two border walls separating Mexico from the United States in San Diego, California, on March 21, 2025. Gregory Bull/AP In April, two Marines from Camp Pendleton, Lance Corporal Albert A. Aguilera and Lance Corporal Marcelino M. Gamino, died in a car accident while on a convoy in New Mexico during their assignment with Task Force Sapper. Executive Order 14167, issued on January 20, 2025, directed the military to assist in securing the southern border and preventing unauthorized crossings, citing national sovereignty and security. An April follow-up memo granted the military, along with the Departments of the Interior, Agriculture, and Homeland Security, access to the necessary federal lands for operations. What People Are Saying Lieutenant Colonel Colin Graham, commanding officer of Task Force Forge, told the Orange County Register: "Our mission is clear. Support our federal partners and Joint Task Force-Southern Border, strengthen operational readiness, and support upholding the territorial integrity of our nation's border with professionalism and precision." Lance Corporal Marcelino M. Gamino's mother said in a statement to Fresno's KSEE: "Marcelino is a hero to this country and a hero in our family. My son was loving, respectful, kind and filled with Joy and he brought two families together for which we became one. He had goals to become something, because growing up we didn't have a lot. I did the best to raise him with what little we had. I love you so much son and I will never forget you. We are all so proud of you Markie. We shall see each other again. Thanks to all who are supporting me and my family during this difficult time." What Happens Next The Marines will provide additional resources to support border security efforts alongside federal agencies. They will focus on providing engineering and logistical support.
Fox Sports
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Alexi Lalas: U.S. Men's Team Forged New Identity Despite Gold Cup Loss
I think the United States-Mexico rivalry is the best in international soccer. And it sucks to lose against your rivals. We saw that on Sunday when the U.S., missing a bunch of star players, lost to a more experienced Mexico team in the Gold Cup final. There are no moral victories. I don't care how inexperienced you are. I don't care how young you are. Having said that, this Gold Cup run was valuable for United States manager Mauricio Pochettino, especially heading into the 2026 World Cup. Players like Diego Luna, Malik Tillman, and Chris Richards used it to either establish (or re-establish) themselves going forward. I also think Pochettino will be a big winner coming out of this, because I think he has created a new identity for this team going forward. So now for the players like Christian Pulisic that weren't here, when they come back, they have to live up to that. They have to adjust, not the other way around. I don't like losing. And the U.S. lost to a better Mexico team. They couldn't get possession in huge swaths of the game. And there was a real, real problem up top. Patrick Agyemang started every single game at striker and got two goals at this tournament, but he didn't seize the moment when it counted. And speaking of seizing the moment, with all the love and the praise that we have given to Luna – and he deserves it because I think he is a star in the making – you have to bring it when everybody is expecting you to bring it. He didn't bring it on Sunday. He disappeared. If he is the player that we're making him out to be, and I do think he can be, he had better learn from this. Because you can't you-know-what the bed in these moments. Because that's not what stars do. So if you want to be a star, and you want all that attention, then you got to bring it on the big days. Who Stood Out? Who Didn't? Tiillman was almost a known quantity coming into this tournament. We knew what he was, but he definitely stepped it up. And there is still a ceiling for how good he can be, so I don't think he's tapped out. I think Sebastian Berhalter, along with Luna, are the big winners in terms of players that hadn't spent much time with the national team before. I can't fathom a situation where either of those two wouldn't be brought in for the next camp in September. And what about the striker position? Mexico has somebody up top in Raul Jimenez that is going to take all of that pressure. He doesn't get enough credit for the skill that he has, the runs that he makes and the people that he draws, that opens up other space out there, and then ultimately scoring goals, which is what you have to do. He's rarely invisible in a game. If Agyemang had been invisible during the game and then scored, fine, I'll take it because the goals are the most important thing. But we're not getting that. I don't know if he is ever going to be that. We're less than a year away from the World Cup. We do not have a legitimate striker that we can count on, where the other team actually has to game plan for him, and that's a problem right now. Pochettino is going to have to figure that out. This Team Was Fun To Watch I've said time and time again that sports are not a place for perspective. They are a place to be crazy and full of emotion and out of control when it comes to the things you're doing. It was wonderful to see this team that was kind of thrown together, and I've called them misfits and a ragtag bunch, and they were – but it was fun to see them grow together, and in doing so, do what a lot of people have wanted, and that was to make us care. And when they care, we care. And even though they lost the final, I have no doubt that these players cared. They cared from the moment the whistle blew in the first game to the moment the whistle blew to end this tournament for them. And that's what people want. This year is going to go like that, and the World Cup is going to be here very soon. And that opportunity will be 100 times more than when it comes to the Gold Cup. It is going to be there for the players that get the incredible privilege to representing their country in a home World Cup. That is special. That is something that you will never forget. But there is a responsibility, and at least this summer, it was fun to see these players live up to that responsibility and make people believe in this team again. Alexi Lalas is a soccer analyst for FOX Sports and host of "Alexi Lalas' State of the Union Podcast." He represented the USMNT at the 1994 FIFA World Cup and had a nine-year professional career. In 2006, he became the president of the LA Galaxy and helped bring David Beckham to Major League Soccer. recommended Item 1 of 3 Get more from the Gold Cup Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more in this topic
Fox Sports
11-06-2025
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
NASCAR race in Mexico City worth extra effort to grow the sport
Sometimes it takes a heavy lift to move the needle. And that's exactly what this weekend's NASCAR race at Mexico will be. A heavy lift. That moves the needle. The Cup Series races in Mexico City this weekend, and that is awesome. Yes, there certainly is a group of the NASCAR fan base and the industry as a whole that doesn't believe NASCAR should race in Mexico City. It is a long and arduous process to move race haulers across the border and deep into the country. The United States-Mexico relations are not at their friendliest, especially in light of the protests in Los Angeles. And there are tracks in the United States that want races. So why go battle those logistical and political challenges to race in Mexico City? The growth of the sport depends on it. Going to a city with more than 20 million people exposes the sport to people who might have never seen it in person. It provides exposure at the highest level and megastars of the sport in a country where NASCAR already has a regional series. It shows sponsors and those interested in investing in the sport that NASCAR is willing to take it globally, increasing the pool of potential sponsors and drivers. Increasing the dollars and potential talent in the sport. Racing at Mexico City will be an event, much like racing at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum or the streets of Chicago. Are there security concerns? Sure. Just as there were when NASCAR raced in Chicago and other places. For context, an off-duty cop was shot in an attempted robbery of the Kansas Speedway vault in 2006. Are there other tracks in the United States where NASCAR could race? Sure. But the tracks that could grow the sport to a new fan base are few and far between. The ones that could generate excitement among the NASCAR faithful — think Bowman-Gray and Rockingham — both held races this year. Albeit, those races were the exhibition clash at Bowman-Gray and an Xfinity-truck doubleheader at Rockingham. Are there some sponsors where racing in Mexico doesn't reach their customer? Sure, at least if they don't do business in Mexico. But part of racing in Mexico is about generating excitement about Mexicans who live in the United States for the NASCAR product. That should also increase the exposure of current sponsors. Are there logistical hurdles? Sure. Hauler manifests are complicated. NASCAR is chartering planes to fly much of the industry as a whole in order to make sure all the teams get there with no safety or logistical issues. So that sounds a lot for a NASCAR race. And it is. But sometimes it takes a heavy lift to move the needle. Many of the same concerns were talked about around the Chicago race and so far, those have been relatively smooth — except for the weather. I went to the NASCAR Xfinity races in Mexico from 2005 through 2008. They were fun. I loved going to the country and experiencing the culture. I also enjoy a trip to Watkins Glen or the Darlington area or Las Vegas. They are all different and all have unique aspects that fans can appreciate. Same with Mexico City. For those who love NASCAR and contend that it has the best racing in the world, then what better way to prove that than taking it across the border? What better way to expose the drivers? A Netflix Series won't work for everyone, and seeing the real thing on someone's home soil can potentially do wonders. Speaking of that, this puts NASCAR at the same venue as Formula 1. Hopefully INDYCAR goes there next year, too. So for all those who want to spew insults about our neighbors and want to hate, go ahead. There's nothing stopping you. But sometimes you have to do something out of the comfort zone — out of the norm — to grow the sport. This is one of those times. Will it work? There's never a guarantee. But it's certainly worth the effort to try. Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR and INDYCAR for FOX Sports. He has spent decades covering motorsports, including over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass. recommended Get more from NASCAR Cup Series Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more in this topic
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Borderlands Mexico: Tariffs, language rule hit cross-border trucking
Borderlands Mexico is a weekly rundown of developments in the world of United States-Mexico cross-border trucking and trade. This week: Tariffs, language rule hit cross-border trucking; Kuehne+Nagel opens border logistics facility in Texas; Kuehne+Nagel opens border logistics facility in Texas; German automotive supplier expands in Mexico; and Sabine-Neches Waterway project secures $172M grant. President Donald Trump's tariff policies and new regulations are creating both challenges and opportunities for businesses engaging in U.S.-Mexico commerce. A looming hurdle for cross-border trucking could be Trump's recent executive order enforcing existing English-language proficiency rules for commercial truck drivers. Citing national safety and efficiency imperatives, the policy mandates that truck drivers demonstrate English proficiency in reading traffic signs, communicating with safety officials and adhering to employer mandate could significantly alter U.S.-Mexico trade by causing delays at the border and increased operational costs for shippers relying on Mexican carriers, according to Jordan Dewart, president of Redwood Mexico. 'This is a time where there's still a prevalence of drivers right now in the U.S., so it's not a huge concern today. But if these drivers start exiting the market, it could be a concern that ultimately affects capacity because non-English-speaking drivers come from Mexico or they're coming from India, Pakistan, Russia, all over the world,' Dewart said. 'They were the ones that kind of saved our backs during COVID, when we needed to scale up on driver capacity. And now we're saying, 'You can't drive anymore.'' Redwood Mexico is the cross-border shipping arm of Chicago-based fourth-party logistics provider Redwood Logistics. Since Feb. 2, Trump has also ordered a series of tariffs against imports from China, Mexico, Canada and almost every other nation that has trade with the U.S. The duties include a 10% baseline reciprocal tariff for all countries, as well as automotive sector-based Mexico and Canada, Trump imposed a 25% tariff on all imports that do not comply with the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. Trump has not imposed the additional 10% reciprocal tariffs on Canada and Mexico. As a result, the majority of U.S. imports from those two countries that are USMCA-compliant continue to enter the U.S. duty-free. Despite uncertainties across the supply chain created by tariffs, trucking volumes between the U.S. and Mexico have remained resilient. 'The last 60 days, it's been a period of relative normality. … We've seen volumes really start to pick up, especially, for example, in the retail sector, where it's kind of like if you don't ship now, you're going to miss your back-to-school sales, you're going to miss the fall, and you're going to miss even potentially Christmas sales,' Dewart told FreightWaves in an interview. 'So we're seeing retail customers come back for sure.' Dewart said the on-again, off-again imposition of tariffs has created some uncertainty among his cross-border clients. 'There's questions being asked from senior leaders, and usually they're going to logistics or to supply chain and saying, 'Hey, I need to know what's going on here. What can we do about tariffs?' It's kind of a mad scramble for them to get educated on these things,' Dewart said. 'Some products are actually required to pay [tariffs] because they don't qualify for USMCA or perhaps they qualify, but the customs broker has never gone through the process of actually getting it certified.' More customers are inquiring about foreign trade zones and reaching out to get to know their customs broker at the border, which has not necessarily been the case in the past, according to Dewart. 'I think for the first time, people are starting to want to reach out to their customs broker and they're kind of saying, 'Hey, what should I do? What can I do about these tariffs? What can you advise me to do?' Dewart said. 'They're asking about foreign trade zones. I wouldn't say there's a lot of usage of foreign trade zones yet or bonded warehouse space, but there's a lot of people asking, 'Hey, is that something that could work for me?''Global supply chain provider Kuehne+Nagel has opened a 432,000-square-foot cross-dock facility in Laredo, Texas. The facility consolidates three existing cross-dock facilities and doubles Kuehne+Nagel's capacity at the U.S.-Mexico border, according to a news release. The facility includes 200 trailer parking stalls, 115 dock doors and two drive-in doors for cross-docking, warehousing, transloading and storage. The site includes a 17,500-square-foot foreign trade zone. 'Despite current challenges in global trade, we are confident nearshoring will continue, as it helps customers enhance supply chain resilience, reduces costs, and speeds up distribution,' Nathan Thomas, regional vice president for central area Kuehne+Nagel U.S., said in a statement. Kuehne+Nagel also has a 363,000-square-foot border logistics facility in El Paso, Texas, as well as facilities in San Diego and Tijuana, Mexico. Headquartered in Switzerland, Kuehne+Nagel has over 80,000 employees at 1,300 locations in 100 countries. The company has 400,000 customers worldwide. Knipping Automotive recently opened its third facility in Mexico in the city of Huamantla. The $18 million plant will create 150 jobs and specialize in the production of plastic components for the automotive industry. Leingarten, Germany-based Knipping Automotive is a supplier to automakers such as Volkswagen and Audi. The company has 900 employees at six locations in Germany, Hungary and Mexico. Huamantla is located about 100 miles southeast of Mexico City. The Sabine-Neches Waterway will receive $172 million from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for its channel-deepening project. The funds will be used to deepen the waterway from its current 40-foot depth to a depth of 48 feet. Once completed, the project will allow larger ships to reach Texas ports and waterway industries. The Sabine-Neches Waterway is 57 miles long and is the longest federal deep-draft ship channel on the Texas Gulf Coast. The project to deepen the ship channel began construction in 2019 and is estimated to take seven years to complete. The post Borderlands Mexico: Tariffs, language rule hit cross-border trucking appeared first on FreightWaves.
Yahoo
04-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Borderlands Mexico: Reshoring dipped across North America in 2024, report says
Borderlands Mexico is a weekly rundown of developments in the world of United States-Mexico cross-border trucking and trade. This week: Reshoring dipped across North America in 2024, report says; Unilever to invest $1.5B to expand in Mexico; Supply chain software provider opens office in Houston; and Border agents seize $1M in cocaine from truck at Texas bridge. Imports to the U.S. from China and 13 other low-cost countries and regions (LCCRs) in Asia, as well as from Mexico, grew faster than U.S. domestic manufacturing gross output in 2024. The situation could have a big impact on U.S. retailers and online sellers seeking to keep their inventories stocked going forward, according to management consultant Kearney's just-released Reshoring Index for 2025. 'The 2025 Reshoring Index points to a reality check that exposes the gap between reshoring intention and facts,' Patrick Van den Bossche, Kearney partner and study co-author, said in a news release. 'Despite executives being more committed than ever, this year's report found the Reshoring Index turning back to negative territory, tied to global trade's most basic drivers — supply and demand. This decline should not be interpreted to mean reshoring is going away, just that expectations for the strategy need to be tempered by market realities.' Led by categories such as computers, electronics and electrical equipment, manufactured imports from Asian LCCRs increased 10% year over year in 2024, or up $90 billion, compared to 2023. At just 1% year-over-year growth last year compared to 2023, U.S. manufacturing output barely increased, while U.S. imports of manufactured goods increased by 9% year over year, the report said. President Donald Trump has made restoring U.S. manufacturing a key goal of his trade and tariff policies since taking office in January. Kearney's Reshoring Index showed a decline of 311 basis points in its manufacturing import ratio for the U.S. in 2024, falling back into negative territory after two positive years in 2022 and 2023. The Reshoring Index is determined by dividing the import of manufactured goods from the Asian LCCRs by the U.S. domestic gross manufacturing output to calculate a manufacturing import ratio. Launched in 2013, the Kearney Reshoring Index tracks annual U.S. domestic manufacturing versus imports, while also gauging CEOs' sentiment to reshoring U.S. manufacturing operations. Mexico remained the United States' top trade partner for manufactured goods in 2024, accounting for 16% of total imports, or $457 billion, Kearney said. Most of Mexico's export gains came from three key sectors: computer and electronic products, transportation equipment, and electrical equipment, appliances, and components, which represent about 85% of Mexico's total U.S. exports. While Mexico remains a critical hub for the automotive and electronics sectors, its ability to absorb increased demand from the U.S. may be reaching its limit, according to the report Mexico faces export growth challenges due to infrastructure — particularly roads, energy and water — and rising wages. 'As U.S. demand outpaced what domestic production could supply, Mexico was not able to fill the gap. We saw manufacturers reverting to sourcing from those distant Asian low-cost countries and regions they had relied on in the past,' Kearney partner and report co-author Omar Troncoso said in release. Other cross-border experts remain more bullish on Mexico's growth as a trade partner with the U.S., even as the White House has launched an aggressive tariff policy on most foreign imports during Trump's first three months in office. 'The Trump administration's first 100 days were quite a ride, but I was and remain cautiously optimistic about the remainder of Trump's term,' Jorge Gonzalez Henrichsen, co-CEO of The Nearshore Co., told FreightWaves in an email. The Nearshore Co., based in Brownsville, Texas, is an international trade and development firm that helps companies set up shelter operations in Mexico. 'Clearly, China — not Mexico — is the main focus of this administration,' Henrichsen said. 'Even if the tariffs previously imposed on China were to ease in the coming weeks or months, the preferential treatment of Mexico over China would remain significant, further fueling Mexico's manufacturing momentum.' Kearney's Reshoring Index found the share of CEOs planning to reshore part of their operations in the U.S. over the next three years increased by 15% compared to the survey in 2024. Despite changing motivations, cost remains the most important driver of creating more manufacturing jobs in the U.S., the Kearney report noted. 'Global labor cost disparities continue to be a significant headwind. For the third year in a row, CEOs identified labor cost as the top challenge to reshoring and nearshoring, with nearly 25% ranking it as their primary barrier in this year's survey,' the Kearney report said. Packaged consumer goods company Unilever plans to invest $1.5 billion in Mexico between 2025 and 2028 to increase its production capacity. The investment includes $407 million for a factory near Monterrey, which will specialize in beauty products and personal care. The plant will create 1,200 jobs. Unilever is a British multinational consumer packaged goods manufacturer. The company has over 300 factories in 69 countries. London-based Unilever initially announced the new factory in April. The additional investments announced on Friday include expanding its logistics chain across Mexico to supply the Americas, officials said. 'This will be one of the most advanced factories we have in Latin America, located in Salinas Victoria. From here, we will produce beauty and personal care products for our leading brands like Dove, Rexona, and Sedal, with the capacity to supply both the domestic and Latin American markets,' Willem Uijen, Unilever's executive director, said in a Mexico Business News article. Log-hub announced the opening of an office in Houston aimed at providing logistics optimization software to the trade community. The Switzerland-based company, a software provider for supply chains, said the new facility reflects growing demand for advanced logistics tools. 'We are excited to bring our Swiss-rooted expertise in strategic network design, route optimization, data analytics, and AI closer to the North American market,' CEO Jan Sigmund said in a news release. 'This gives us a better position to help businesses create more resilient and efficient supply chains.' Log-hub, founded in 2017, has more than 60 employees. In addition to Houston, the company has locations in Switzerland, Germany, Serbia and India. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers in South Texas said they discovered 30 packages of cocaine in a commercial trailer arriving from Mexico, according to a news release. On April 25, CBP officers assigned to the Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge cargo facility found 77 pounds of alleged cocaine concealed in a tractor-trailer. The alleged cocaine has a street value of over $1 million. CBP seized the narcotics and truck. The case was turned over to Homeland Security Investigations. CBP did not say whether the driver was arrested. The post Borderlands Mexico: Reshoring dipped across North America in 2024, report says appeared first on FreightWaves.
