The United States’ Exportation of Gun Violence

On Oct. 1, during the vice presidential debate, Ohio Senator JD Vance made the claim that the U.S. has seen a massive influx of illegal guns brought into the U.S. by Mexican drug cartels. This statement became one of ten fact-checks that he objected to that was not just completely false, but also dangerous.

The Mexican government is suing five American gun companies: Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc., Barrett Firearms Manufacturing, Inc., Beretta U.S.A. Corp.Colt’s Manufacturing Company LLC, and Glock Inc. The Mexican government claims these gun companies knew their products were being smuggled into Mexico and instead of trying to prevent it, the companies encouraged it; resulting in heightened gun violence in the country. 

Total Number of Guns Smuggled into Mexico from or through the United States. (Courtesy Wilson Center)

The Wilson Center, which researches all types of policy, from climate change to war for the United States government reported that 50% of all guns seized in Mexico were initially made in the U.S. between 2016 and 2022. Additionally, 18% of the guns were made in another country and then smuggled through the U.S. in the same time frame. 

Pistols are the most commonly smuggled gun—like those made by Glock or Smith & Wesson. More than 69,000 pistols were smuggled into Mexico from the U.S between 2016 and 2022; rifles, like those manufactured by Colt, followed close behind at nearly 40,000.

Out of the top 10 counties for gun smuggling, five of them are in Texas. The state accounted for nearly 40% of smuggled guns between 2020 and 2022. 

Texas’ incredibly lax gun laws do not require a permit or license to purchase or carry any kind of gun and firearms are not registered in the state. This makes it extraordinarily easy for guns to be bought and then trafficked into Mexico. 

The overwhelming majority of smuggled guns from 2020 to 2022 were tracked to the Mexican state, Baja California in the City of Tijuana. Tijuana is widely characterized by its violence. In the first six months of the year, nearly 1,000 murders were recorded, mostly related to drug trafficking. In 2023, Mayor Montserrat Caballero, had to move onto a military base because of recurring and persistent death threats in response to weapon seizures by her administration. 

The effects of gun trafficking not only impact the state, but its surrounding areas as well. 

Sophia Hurtado Hernandez, is a Howard student whose family immigrated from Valparaiso, Zacatecas, Mexico; a city over 2,000 miles from Tijuana. 

“Most of the gun violence is done by the cartel known as the ‘Zetas’ that control this area, ” said Hernandez. “They have slowly infiltrated all aspects of life.”

The Zetas wide reaching influence makes it difficult for political leaders to crack down on crime. 

“My family members live in fear and avoid being involved with community engagement or go into town to avoid being targeted by the cartel,” said Hernandez. 

In Valparaiso, the nearest place with a large influx of guns is Guadalajara, Jalisco, another city known for its gangs and gun violence. This hasn’t stopped the local cartel from accessing firearms used to intimidate locals.  

“Between 2010 and 2018 they routinely began kidnapping and killing people to instill fear in the communities,” said Hernandez.  

This trend hasn’t ended. The entire state of Zacatecas is currently under a U.S. government travel advisory because of the levels of crime and kidnapping. 

The open border that JD Vance is claiming to cause an influx of guns and crime in the U.S. is inaccurate. The lack of comprehensive gun control in southern states like Texas has consistently made life less safe for Mexican citizens in the past decade.