Kari Lake, A Hardliner On Immigration, Is Being Floated As Trump's Next Ambassador to Mexico

Kari Lake, who recently lost the Arizona Senate race against Rep. Ruben Gallego, is being considered as a leading candidate for the role of U.S. ambassador to Mexico, Semafor reported.

Lake, a former news anchor who also lost the 2022 state gubernatorial race but never acknowledged her defeat, has been a vocal supporter of Donald Trump. She has consistently supported her tough stance on immigration, calling the influx of migrants entering the U.S. an "invasion" and advocating for the completion of the southern border wall.

Her proposals also included increasing the number of judges to handle asylum claims, accelerating deportations, and expanding border detention facilities.

If appointed ambassador to Mexico, Lake would play a leading role in the addressing of the issue, as well as other contentious ones such as drug trafficking, and Trump's pledge to impose new tariffs on imports.

The position would require confirmation by the GOP-controlled Senate, where Lake can afford to lose only three Republican votes, assuming no Democrats vote to confirm her.

Lake's potential appointment has sparked debate. In an op-ed for the Arizona Republic, columnist Elvia Diaz argued that Lake would be a "disastrous" choice for the role. A spokesperson for Trump's transition team declined to comment on Lake's nomination.

Mexican officials fear relations will suffer as Trump continues talks of foreign intervention to combat drug cartels. Recent comments by the president-elect about how Mexico and Canada are "bringing crime and drugs" into the United States has increased tensions between all three North American partners. To Trump's threats of imposing a 25% tariff, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum replied with a strong posture, saying Mexico "negotiates as equals, there is no subordination here."

Mexico, on its end, is preparing an interagency plan in response to potential mass deportation of Mexican nationals from the US, should the policy proposals of U.S. President-elect come to fruition after his inauguration on January 20, 2025, according to Secretary of Foreign Affairs Juan Ramón de la Fuente.