USDA highlights border security, Mexico negotiations in first 100 days of Trump administration

Washington, D.C. – April 28, 2025 In the first 100 days of the Trump Administration, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins has affirmed the bold leadership of President Donald J. Trump by supporting America First Policies. At her direction, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has worked to support American farmers and ranchers on the southern border, hold Mexico accountable to the agreements they’ve made with the United States, and ensure illegal immigrants do not receive federal benefits.   

“President Trump has reversed the status quo on immigration policy. He is fighting to secure the border and hold countries like Mexico accountable for years of mistreatment against the United States. Farmers and ranchers along the southern border have been on the frontlines of Mexico’s unfair policies, and at USDA, I have been at the negotiating table tirelessly advocating for American agriculture. I am putting Farmers First—not illegal immigrants,” said Secretary Rollins.   

At the direction of Secretary Rollins, Acting Deputy Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services John Walk issued guidance to all State agencies directing them to ensure that illegal immigrants do not receive federal benefits. The guidance requires enhanced identity and immigration verification practices when determining eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and is one of many steps toward fulfilling President Trump’s Executive Order 14218, Ending Taxpayer Subsidization of Open Borders.”  

Over the weekend, Secretary Rollins sent a letter to her counterpart in Mexico demanding Mexico eliminate impediments on aircraft operations and landings that are critically impairing the U.S. response to combat the ongoing spread of the New World Screwworm across Mexico, thereby preventing it from entering the United States.

In addition, Secretary Rollins continues to negotiate Mexico’s compliance with the 1944 Water Treaty for which they have fallen woefully short of their water delivery commitments. As part of that, Secretary Rollins announced a $280 million grant agreement between the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) to provide critical economic relief to eligible Rio Grande Valley farmers and producers suffering from Mexico’s ongoing failure to meet its water delivery obligations under the 1944 Water Treaty.