Good morning. The past week offered a reminder of how quickly the strategic landscape around North America is shifting. Leaders from across the hemisphere gathered in Florida to sign a new security declaration aimed at confronting cartels and narcoterrorism, while in Washington the Department of Homeland Security is preparing for a leadership transition. At the same time, officials from the United States and Mexico are beginning conversations tied to the upcoming USMCA review, even as violence linked to cartel leadership battles continues to ripple across parts of Mexico. These developments are not isolated events. Together they point to a larger question about how the region will manage security, trade, migration, and economic integration in the years ahead.

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President Donald Trump’s summit with Latin American leaders in Doral signals a renewed U.S. focus on security and geopolitical competition in the Western Hemisphere.

At the gathering, participating governments signed a Joint Security Declaration establishing what amounts to a regional coalition aimed at confronting drug cartels, narcoterrorism, and transnational criminal organizations. The agreement calls for expanded cooperation on border security, counternarcotics operations, intelligence sharing, and protection of critical infrastructure.

The declaration also embraces the principle of “Peace through Strength,” signaling a tougher hemispheric posture toward criminal networks that destabilize governments and drive migration.

Another theme underlying the summit was strategic competition. Washington is increasingly concerned about China’s expanding influence across Latin America, particularly through infrastructure investment, financing, and trade relationships.

In that sense, the Doral meeting reflects a broader effort to reinforce Western Hemisphere security and alignment.

But one absence stands out.

Mexico was not among the countries signing the declaration.

That omission matters because no serious strategy addressing cartels, migration, or supply chains can succeed without Mexico. The U.S.–Mexico economic relationship remains the most important partnership in the region, with nearly two billion dollars in daily trade crossing the border.

Mexico also sits at the center of the cartel challenge the declaration seeks to address.

A hemispheric security framework that excludes Mexico risks becoming incomplete before it even begins.

As tensions rise globally and conflict with Iran pressures energy markets, Washington has strong incentives to stabilize its own hemisphere. That stability ultimately depends on cooperation within North America, where trade, security, and migration are deeply interconnected.

Any strategy for the Americas will eventually return to the same reality.

The United States cannot secure the hemisphere without Mexico at the table.

The sudden departure of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem marks the first cabinet shakeup of President Donald Trump’s second term. While the White House thanked her for helping reduce illegal border crossings, the real reason appears tied to loyalty and political optics.

During congressional testimony, Noem suggested the president had approved a $243 million DHS advertising campaign prominently featuring her. Trump publicly denied knowing about it. In a White House where loyalty is currency, that moment appears to have sealed her fate.

Her likely successor, Senator Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma, is a close Trump ally and strong supporter of the administration’s immigration enforcement agenda. But the real challenge ahead has less to do with politics and more to do with operations.

Having served inside DHS at U.S. Customs and Border Protection, I can say the department works best when it operates as a mission integration agency, not a political platform. DHS is not just immigration enforcement. It oversees customs operations, lawful trade, disaster response, cybersecurity, transportation security, and critical infrastructure protection.

As the administration enters its midpoint, the department faces serious strategic pressures. The USMCA review process is beginning. Global energy markets are tightening as conflict with Iran disrupts supply chains. Immigration reform remains unresolved.

At the center of all of this is Customs and Border Protection.

Nearly $2 trillion in North American trade flows through U.S. ports of entry every year. Customs modernization, cargo screening, and port infrastructure are not secondary issues. They are economic security policy.

The next phase for DHS should focus on three priorities. Modernizing ports of entry, restoring balance between trade facilitation and enforcement, and pushing Congress toward real immigration reform.

Leadership changes may alter headlines. The real test is whether the department returns to its full mission.

In last week’s edition of Power Courier, I wrote about the wave of violence that followed the arrest of a major cartel figure and how quickly security conditions can shift across parts of Mexico. Events like that are reminders that security is not just something governments manage. It is something people experience directly when they travel, work, and move across borders.

For those of us who regularly move between cities and countries, especially across North America, situational awareness has become increasingly important.

One tool I have used for years personally is Bond, a personal safety and security app designed to connect users with trained security professionals when they want an extra layer of support.

The platform allows users to connect with live agents available 24 hours a day, who can monitor situations in real time if someone feels uneasy while traveling or moving through unfamiliar areas. Features include route monitoring while traveling, location sharing with security professionals, scheduled safety check-ins, and live video monitoring.

In practice, this means that if you are walking or driving somewhere unfamiliar, meeting someone new, or traveling late at night, the app can monitor your route and confirm you reach your destination safely.

Bond can also connect users to additional support such as roadside assistance, transportation help, or medical consultation services if needed.

Whether traveling internationally or simply moving around the United States, tools like this help bridge the gap between everyday caution and emergency response.

In a world where mobility is constant, personal security is becoming increasingly personal as well. Check out the information below to learn more.

As the 2026 motorsports season begins across Formula 1, Formula 2, IndyCar, and NASCAR, Mexican and Mexican-American drivers are once again competing on some of the biggest stages in global racing. Their presence reflects the growing influence of Mexican talent in international motorsports and the expanding fan base across North America.

In Formula 1, Sergio “Checo” Pérez begins a new chapter with the new Cadillac F1 team, marking the debut of an American backed entrant during a major regulatory reset for the sport. Expectations for a first year team are naturally modest, but Pérez brings enormous experience to the project with multiple Grand Prix victories and dozens of podium finishes during his career.

Meanwhile, the next generation of Mexican talent is already making headlines. Noel León delivered an impressive performance in his Formula 2 debut weekend in Melbourne, charging through the field to finish second in the F2 Sprint Race, securing his first podium at the F2 level.

In IndyCar, Pato O’Ward opened the season’s first oval weekend with a strong fourth place finish in Phoenix, giving Arrow McLaren an important early result and reinforcing his place as one of the most exciting competitors in American open wheel racing.

Over in NASCAR, Daniel Suárez continues building his legacy as the first Mexican-American driver to win a NASCAR national series race. Now driving the No. 7 Chevrolet for Spire Motorsports, Suárez remains a key figure expanding the sport’s reach among fans across both Mexico and the United States.

From Melbourne to Phoenix to NASCAR tracks across America, Mexican drivers are strengthening their presence across global motorsports.

Just as the 2026 World Cup will unite North America through soccer, these drivers are already showing how sports can connect fans, cultures, and countries across the region.

As officials from the United States and Mexico begin discussions tied to the upcoming USMCA review, one issue should be front and center but rarely is.

Workforce mobility.

North America is already one of the most integrated economic regions in the world. Every day, nearly two billion dollars in trade crosses the U.S.–Mexico border. Supply chains connect factories, farms, and energy infrastructure across all three USMCA countries.

Yet the ability for workers and professionals to move legally within the region remains limited and outdated.

For years, immigration debates in Washington have focused almost entirely on border enforcement and asylum policy. Those issues matter. But they ignore a basic economic reality.

The United States and Mexico both face labor shortages in critical industries, while millions of workers seek opportunity in ways that are currently pushed into irregular migration channels.

A North American Mobility Visa could begin to address that gap.

The idea is simple. Create a legal visa category that allows approved workers to move temporarily between the United States and Mexico for employment in designated industries such as manufacturing, agriculture, logistics, and energy. Participants could gain experience, skills, and income while remaining tied to legal employment structures.

Over time, such a system could stabilize migration patterns, strengthen regional supply chains, and support the long term competitiveness of the North American economy.

As the USMCA review process unfolds, policymakers will debate tariffs, trade rules, and industrial policy.

But the success of the region will ultimately depend on something more fundamental.

The ability of people, talent, and opportunity to move across North America as efficiently as the goods we trade every day. I hope leaders seriously consider this important element in their discussions.

Thanks for reading this edition of my newsletter! I'd love to hear from you. Share your thoughts about what you think are the most critical issues that need to be addressed. Email me at [email protected] or connect with me on social media using the hashtag #Intermestic.

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