According to CNN on Tuesday, the CIA has secretly deployed MQ-9 Reaper drones over Mexico during Donald Trump’s presidency to surveil drug cartels, as part of his administration’s shift in national security focus to the US southern border.

These previously undisclosed operations coincided with Trump's efforts to classify transnational drug cartels as terrorist organizations, though no official designation was made.

Although the drones were unarmed, they could be equipped with precision strike payloads, similar to those used by the US in Syria, Iraq, and Somalia, according to the report. That said, some current and former officials suggest that labeling cartels as terrorist organizations could pave the way for direct US strikes on cartel operations and drug labs in Mexico.

The report detailed that the CIA has previously conducted surveillance drone operations in Mexico with Mexican authorities, according to a former and a current US official. However, recent flights were reported to Congress under a classified notification for new or updated covert programs, indicating an escalation. A source familiar with the matter told CNN that these notifications did not mention any collaboration with Mexican partners.

Even though the CIA declined to comment specifically about the drone missions, a spokesperson said that broadly "countering drug cartels in Mexico and regionally is a priority for CIA as a part of the Trump Administration’s broader efforts to end the grave threat from narco-trafficking. Director [John] Ratcliffe is determined to put CIA’s unique expertise to work against this multifaceted challenge", according to the report. 

This raises further concerns about US surveillance operations in Mexico, as the Mexican government faces scrutiny over recent American military spy plane activity near the border.

Mexican officials, including President Claudia Sheinbaum, stressed the importance of sovereignty amid reports of increased US spy plane activity, stating the flights occurred in international and US airspace.

However, Defense Minister Ricardo Trevilla acknowledged he was unaware of the flights and did not rule out espionage. Meanwhile, the CIA’s MQ-9 missions are operating within Mexican airspace, with no comment from the Mexican government.

According to the CNN report, the CIA drone missions and anticipated cartel designations highlight the Trump administration's efforts to "redirect counterterrorism resources" and authorities toward combating cartels along the US-Mexico border and within Mexico.

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