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. …