The National Guard was launched by PresidentAndrés Manuel López Obrador in 2019. It has since played a major part in intensifying the enforcement of immigration policy.[4] Before becoming president, López Obrador campaigned on a promise to take the military off the streets.[2] Shortly after assuming office, he released a plan to create the National Guard under control of the Mexican Armed Forces which would be in charge of "preventing and combating crime".[2][5] López Obrador stated that the new National Guard would be critical to solving Mexico's ongoing security crisis.[1][6]
On 28 February, Congress voted to approve a 60,000-member national guard.[6] On 27 May 2019, the law regulating the National Guard entered into force.[7] On 30 June 2019, the National Guard was officially established.[8][9]
In June 2019, as part of a deal with the United States, Mexico agreed to deploy the newly formed National Guard to its border with Guatemala.[10][11] While the guard was always intended to enforce immigration policy, it was not intended to do so as soon as announced.[10][11]
A 2019 survey sponsored by The Washington Post and Mexican newspaper Reforma gathered information on public opinion regarding both the new National Guard and illegal immigration to Mexico.[4] The survey was conducted from 9 July to 14 July 2019, among 1,200 adults across the country in 100 election districts by way of face-to-face interviews.[4] A 53% majority voiced their trust in the national guard, with two-thirds saying that they would like the national guard to be in their city, whereas 45% report that they feel more safe with the domestic force.[4] Furthermore, the survey said 51% of Mexicans support utilizing the country's recently formed National Guard to repel migration by illegal immigrants.[4]
^"Acuerdo por el que se establecen los elementos de la Policía Federal, de la Policía Militar y de la Policía Naval que integrarán la Guardia Nacional.". Acuerdo of 2019 (in Spanish).
