Overview
- The agreement, in force Monday, extends the ATF’s eTrace platform to Mexican federal agencies and authorities in all 32 states to speed firearm origin tracing.
- Bilateral operations began with tighter inspections at crossings including the Puente Córdova–Américas between Ciudad Juárez and El Paso, where Mexican soldiers are checking vehicles for guns and ammunition.
- The initiative stems from a Sept. 3 meeting between U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and President Claudia Sheinbaum, who says the United States will step up enforcement on its side.
- Experts estimate about 200,000 guns move south each year, with major shares traced to Texas, Arizona and California, and they highlight integrating IBIS and Interpol’s IBIN with eTrace to strengthen tracking.
- Officials cited a recent killing in Ciudad Juárez involving an AK-47 allegedly smuggled from the United States to underscore the urgency of the effort.