Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Delivers Opening Remarks at the U.S.-Mexico High-Level Security Dialogue

Remarks as Prepared for Delivery

Thank you, Secretary Rodriguez.

And thank you, Secretary Barcena, Attorney General Gertz, and Secretary Lujan for welcoming us back to Mexico City.

Today, we will be discussing the ways in which we can enhance our work to fight the threats to the safety of our citizens on both sides of the border.

But I want to start by reiterating my thanks for the extradition of Ovidio Guzman Lopez from Mexico to the United States just three weeks ago.

His extradition is a powerful symbol of what we can accomplish by working together.

We recognize that Mexican law enforcement officers and military servicemembers lost their lives in securing his arrest. We are grateful for their courage and their sacrifice.

This meeting gives us an opportunity to continue to honor the memories of all those we have lost in the fight against the cartels and the fentanyl epidemic by strengthening our work together to bring those responsible to justice.

I look forward to discussing how we can advance those efforts here today.

With that, I am pleased to turn the program over to Attorney General Gertz.