The Trump administration has ordered a sweeping review of all 53 Mexican consulates operating across the United States, a move that could empower Secretary of State Marco Rubio to order the closure of some diplomatic offices. The measure, confirmed by a US official to CBS News, places the largest foreign consular network on American soil under direct scrutiny and marks a dramatic escalation in pressure on Mexico City. No specific timeline or criteria have been disclosed, but officials in Washington frame the review as part of a broader effort to align every aspect of US foreign policy with the president’s “America First” agenda. The announcement comes against a backdrop of mounting bilateral friction, fuelled by security concerns over cartel violence and the deaths of two CIA officers during a counter-narcotics operation in northern Mexico last month.

From Mexico City, President Claudia Sheinbaum has forcefully rejected any suggestion that Mexican consulates engage in political activities, insisting their sole mandate is to protect and assist the estimated 40 million Mexican nationals resident in the United States. Speaking at her morning press conference, Sheinbaum stated that her government had received no formal notification from the State Department and questioned the premise of the review. “There is no reason for it to happen,” she said, dismissing claims that consular staff had been used to campaign against President Trump – a narrative promoted in conservative circles and bolstered by a recent book alleging foreign interference through immigration policy.

Analysts in London note that the review’s timing is particularly fraught. The Trump administration has already adopted an unusually aggressive posture toward Latin America, from sanctions to military operations, and the consular probe risks further poisoning the atmosphere for co-operation on migration, trade and security. Viewed from Washington, the review appears less a routine administrative check than a lever to extract concessions from Mexico, especially on the detention of cartel leaders and the sharing of intelligence. The State Department’s Dylan Johnson said the department “constantly reviews” foreign relations, but the explicit linkage to “America First” signals a more transactional approach.

Whatever the outcome, the potential closure of even a handful of consulates would have deep practical consequences. These offices handle passport renewals, visas, legal aid and emergency support for a diaspora concentrated in states such as California, Texas and Arizona. Shuttering them would not only inconvenience millions of Mexican citizens but also risk backlash from US businesses and local governments that depend on cross-border ties. The coming weeks will test whether the Trump administration views the consular network as a legitimate diplomatic infrastructure or as a bargaining chip in a broader confrontation with its southern neighbour.