U.S.-Funded Anti-Fentanyl Programs In Mexico Halted As Trump Admin Seeks To Freeze Foreign Aid

A series of U.S.-funded anti-fentanyl programs in Mexico are in jeopardy as the Donald Trump administration seeks to enforce a sweeping freeze on foreign aid.

Reuters reported on Thursday that all U.S. State Department Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL) programs in the country were halted as a result.

They include initiatives destined to dismantle fentanyl supply chain and training Mexican authorities to find and destroy labs, as well as stopping the entry of precursor chemicals used to manufacture the drug to the country. The U.S.-funded programs also donate drug-detecting dogs.

The future of the programs in the near term is uncertain as a federal judge appointed by former President Joe Biden ordered on Thursday that the Trump administration temporarily lift the funding freeze.

Concretely, judge Amir Ali issued the ruling late Thursday, upholding a lawsuit introduced by two health organizations getting funding from the U.S. abroad.

The Trump administration has not "offered any explanation for why a blanket suspension of all congressionally appropriated foreign aid, which set off a shockwave and upended" contracts with groups across the world "was a rational precursor to reviewing programs," Ali said, making reference to the government's argument about needing to freeze the program to review which should be kept and which discarded. The ruling applies to existing contracts before Trump's executive order.

The Trump administration says it's making of fighting drug trafficking a priority, with the president threatening to impose 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada over what he said is their inaction on the matter. Tariffs for both countries were postponed for a month in early February after respective calls with Mexico's Claudia Sheinbaum and Canada's Justin Trudeau. Sheinbaum's call included a pledge to send 10,000 troops to the border to help enforce the fight against drug and migrant smuggling across the border.

The outlet quoted a source saying the Trump administration is considering a waiver to fund some anti-drug programs, but it is not clear whether those for Mexico are included.