LAWYERS ACCUSE MEXICO OF ILLEGALLY SENDING CARTEL MEMBERS TO THE US WITHOUT EXTRADITION ORDERS. (PHOTO).

Lawyers accuse Mexico of illegally sending cartel members to the US without extradition orders

   A coalition of defense lawyers and relatives of prominent cartel figures accused Mexico’s government on Monday of violating the law by transferring dozens of Mexican citizens to the United States without formal extradition orders. The accusations follow a recent handover of 37 detained cartel members, bringing the total number of transfers since February of last year to 92 people sent north in three separate operations. Critics say the moves bypassed Mexico’s legally required extradition process, which typically involves lengthy court proceedings and judicial approval.

The latest transfers have drawn intense scrutiny because they come amid escalating pressure from President Donald Trump, who has threatened military action against drug cartels. Observers say the handovers are part of Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum’s broader strategy to demonstrate a tougher stance on organized crime while preserving cooperation with the Trump administration. Mexican officials have defended the actions as lawful measures taken in the interest of national security, arguing that many of the individuals were wanted in the United States for serious crimes and already subject to pending extradition requests.

At a press conference in Mexico City, attorneys representing several of the transferred detainees said their clients were denied due process by being removed from the country without an extradition order signed by a judge. Defense lawyer Yarey Sánchez Lagunas, who represents two alleged cartel leaders sent to the United States over the past year, said the decisions raise serious concerns about whether political considerations are overriding the rule of law. He warned that Mexico’s legal system is being sidelined under pressure to produce rapid results in its relationship with Washington.

The legal arguments echo past claims raised in high-profile cases involving major cartel figures, including those made during the extradition battle of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán. Sánchez Lagunas represents Itiel Palacios García, an alleged leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel transferred last February, and Pablo Edwin Huerta Nuño, linked to the Arellano Félix Cartel and sent to the United States in August. Lawyers say that once detainees are transferred, they effectively lose any realistic ability to challenge the legality of the move in Mexican courts.

The controversy intensified after Vanesa Guzmán, the partner of an alleged regional leader of the Zetas cartel, filed a criminal complaint accusing senior government officials of wrongdoing. Her complaint names Mexican Security Minister Omar García Harfuch, a key figure in the government’s crackdown on organized crime, and accuses him and others of treason. Guzmán’s partner, Juan Pedro Saldívar Farías, was among those sent to the United States last week and faces accusations related to drug and weapons trafficking. Guzmán said the transfer amounted to exile and claimed she has had no contact with him since his removal, including the absence of a legally permitted phone call.

Not everyone agrees the transfers were improper. Some former U.S. law enforcement officials have dismissed the complaints, praising the rapid transfers as a necessary way to overcome legal delays that often stall extraditions for years. They argue that Mexico’s constitution gives the president broad authority to act in the name of national security and that keeping high-level cartel figures in Mexican prisons often allows them to continue directing criminal operations from behind bars. Supporters of the policy say the swift handovers ensure suspects face justice more effectively, even as critics warn the approach risks eroding due process and legal protections.