Mexico’s government announced a ban on a Trump administration immigration ad featuring Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, calling the campaign “propaganda” and a violation of national sovereignty. The ad warns illegal immigrants they will be found and deported under President Donald Trump’s renewed enforcement efforts.
The $200 million campaign, launched shortly after Noem’s Senate confirmation, targets illegal immigration through international broadcasts in Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador. Secretary Noem delivers a firm message in the one-minute ad, stating that illegal entrants will be deported and urging those in the U.S. illegally to leave voluntarily.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced that her government will prohibit the airing of the ad on public airwaves, citing concerns about “discrimination” and a need to protect Mexico’s sovereignty. Sheinbaum plans to introduce legislation barring foreign “propaganda” on public broadcasting networks.
Trump officials defended the campaign, arguing it is a necessary measure to deter unlawful migration and to reaffirm U.S. commitment to border security. Critics within Mexico, including former Ambassador Martha Barcena, expressed concern that the ads strain U.S.-Mexico relations, though Sheinbaum has otherwise closely cooperated with Trump’s border security demands.
The Biden administration previously launched a softer immigration messaging campaign in 2022, but Trump’s approach, featuring a senior Cabinet member and direct language, marks a sharper departure. Immigration enforcement remains a key pillar of President Trump’s America First agenda heading into 2026.
