Bipartisan U.S.-Mexico congressional caucus launches amid diplomatic strain

A bipartisan group of House lawmakers will launch a new U.S.-Mexico caucus on Thursday, aimed at strengthening ties between the two countries on trade, security and culture at a moment of mounting tension in the bilateral relationship.

Rep. Joaquin Castro, Democrat of Texas and ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, and Rep. Rudy Yakym, Republican of Indiana, will serve as co-chairs of the caucus. The launch is being backed by the American Mexican Leadership Council, or AMLC, a new national organization also debuting Thursday to elevate Mexican American leadership and advance U.S.-Mexico collaboration.

The rollout comes at a turbulent moment in the bilateral relationship. The State Department last week initiated a review of all 53 Mexican consulates operating in the U.S., the move could lead Secretary of State Marco Rubio to consider closing some diplomatic offices, amid rising tensions over security cooperation and cartel violence following the deaths of two American CIA officers during a counter-narcotics operation in northern Mexico. The strain comes just weeks ahead of the first joint review of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, scheduled for July 1, 2026. 

“I am thrilled to announce the official launch of the U.S.-Mexico Caucus to strengthen the relationship between the United States and Mexico,” Castro said. “Our shared border, history and interests — particularly in trade, migration, and security — make the creation of this caucus relevant now more than ever.”

Yakym, whose Indiana district leans heavily on trade with Mexico, described the caucus’s focus on economic and security stakes back home. 

“Hoosier manufacturers and farmers rely on Mexico for inputs and exports, while our communities count on a strong security relationship to keep fentanyl and other deadly drugs off the streets,” he said. “I look forward to this caucus serving as a forum to deepen that relationship.”

The caucus will consist of 10 inaugural members evenly split across the aisle, including Reps. Pete Aguilar, Democrat of California, María Salazar, Republican of Florida, Adriano Espaillat, Democrat of New York, and Juan Ciscomani, Republican of Arizona), Greg Stanton, Democrat of Arizona, Michael McCaul Republican of Texas, Veronica Escobar, Democrat of Texas, Rep. Henry Cuellar, Democrat of Texas, and Don Bacon, Republican of Nebraska.

“Mexico and the United States are connected not only by our southern border, but also by mutual security challenges and shared economic interests,” McCaul said, adding that he is “very proud to join this caucus.” 

“Strengthening areas of collaboration — from agriculture to immigration to counter-narcotic efforts — will no doubt benefit both our nations and the broader region,” he said. 

Outside the Capitol, the newly formed AMLC is positioning itself as a leadership organization supporting the caucus’s work. The group is co-chaired by former U.S. Ambassador to Croatia Nathalie Rayes and led by president and CEO Sergio Gonzales, with a bipartisan coalition that includes former U.S. Treasurer Rosario Marín, former Transportation and Energy Secretary Federico Peña, and former House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Ileana Ros-Lehtinen.

“This is about creating opportunity, prosperity and economic security for communities across the United States,” Gonzales said. “So many of the sectors that drive our economy, from agriculture to finance, innovation, and trade depend on a successful relationship with Mexico. America’s strength and competitiveness in the world are deeply connected to the success of this partnership.”

Rayes framed the moment as one that demands politics step aside. 

“The launch of this bipartisan caucus sends a strong message: the U.S.-Mexico relationship transcends politics,” she said. “It is about maintaining economic strength, striving towards shared security, and the millions of people whose lives are shaped by this partnership.”

Mexico maintains the largest foreign consular network in the United States, with offices that provide documentation and legal aid to millions of Mexican citizens living across the country. Most are concentrated in border states and cities with large Mexican American populations, including California, Texas and Arizona.

In recent years, U.S. consulate closures have usually reflected rising tensions with rival countries rather than routine diplomatic changes. In 2020, as relations between Washington and Beijing worsened, the Trump administration ordered China’s consulate in Houston to close, citing concerns over espionage and intellectual property theft. In 2017, the U.S. ordered Russia to close its consulate in San Francisco, along with diplomatic facilities in Washington and New York, in response to Moscow expelling American diplomats.

Asked recently about the State Department’s plan to review consulates, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum told reporters  said “there would be no reason for it because the consulates are very respectful of U.S. politics.”