Abdul El Sayed blames American guns for rise of Mexican cartels

Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El Sayed stated on Wednesday that American-manufactured guns are responsible for fueling Mexican cartels and cartel behavior near the border. Fox News reported that El Sayed made the remarks during an appearance on The Moment Podcast with co-hosts Jorge Ramos and Paola Ramos. [1]

When asked if he supported utilizing military troops or drones against the groups, El Sayed rejected taking war-like actions. Fox News and Yahoo both reported on his warnings against military force, with Fox News noting that he called for the United States to work diplomatically to combat the syndicates. [1][3]

The podcast discussion focused on the Trump administration's strategies to fight Mexican criminal organizations since the start of President Donald Trump's second term in 2025. El Sayed stated that the United States bears partial responsibility for the growth of the cartels due to the supply of firearms. [1]

Mexican criminal cartels include the Sinaloa Cartel, which operates as a dominant drug trafficking group in Mexico. The Jalisco New Generation Cartel is another major organization, known for using drones and rocket-propelled grenades against rivals until its leader Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes was killed by the Mexican Army in 2026. [4][5]