Following Mexico City Delegation, American Mexican Leadership Council Advances Plans for Cross-Border Task Force and Launches Leadership Council
Delegation met with President Sheinbaum’s chief of staff and senior Mexican leaders, laying the groundwork for AMLC’s 2027 policy agenda.
MEXICO CITY — The American Mexican Leadership Council (AMLC) today announced a series of next steps to deepen cross-border cooperation following its inaugural three-day delegation to Mexico City. The trip brought together more than two dozen leaders from business, government, philanthropy and civic life for high-level discussions on trade, economic competitiveness, regional security and the future of the U.S.–Mexico relationship.
Among the delegation’s key outcomes, leaders from AMLC, the U.S.-Mexico Foundation and the American Chamber of Commerce of Mexico committed to advancing plans for a joint task force to carry forward the priorities discussed during the trip. The task force will provide a structure for continued cross-sector collaboration on the future of the USMCA, tariff-free trade, supply chains and North American competitiveness, and help translate the delegation’s conversations into concrete initiatives as AMLC develops its 2027 policy agenda.
AMLC also named the delegates as the inaugural members of its Leadership Council to create a structure for their continued involvement. Members will participate in quarterly conversations to help shape and advance AMLC’s emerging policy agenda, nominate candidates for next year’s delegation and expand the organization’s reach and support among leaders across their business, civic and philanthropic networks.
“This delegation was AMLC’s mission coming to life. We brought together an extraordinary breadth of leaders from across business, government, philanthropy and civil society to listen to perspectives from both countries and begin turning dialogue into action,” said Adria Márquez Trejo, President and CEO of the American Mexican Leadership Council. “We leave Mexico City with stronger relationships, a concrete proposal for continued economic cooperation and new momentum toward a policy agenda that reflects the enormous stake Mexican Americans have in our shared future. We won't just respond to this moment — together, we'll help shape what comes next.”
Delegates meet with Lázaro Cárdenas Batel, Chief of Staff to President Claudia Scheinbaum
During a meeting with President Claudia Sheinbaum’s chief of staff, delegates discussed opportunities to strengthen the bilateral relationship and advance shared prosperity in both countries. AMLC delivered a letter to President Sheinbaum inviting her to the United States to continue engaging with the organization and be recognized for her leadership. Delegates also met with officials at the U.S. Embassy, as well as Mexican business executives and civil-society leaders, to hear a range of perspectives on the challenges and opportunities facing the relationship.
“The United States and Mexico are bound not only by geography, but by our people, our economies and a shared future.” said Amb. Nathalie Rayes, Founding Board Member and Board Co-Chair of the American Mexican Leadership Council and former U.S. Ambassador to Croatia. “At a moment when the bilateral conversation is too often defined by tension, this delegation created space for candid, constructive engagement. Lasting progress requires leaders on both sides of the border to keep listening, building trust and working toward shared prosperity.”
The inaugural delegation included Congressman Joaquin Castro (D-TX), Co-Chair of the bipartisan U.S.–Mexico Congressional Caucus and Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere; Ambassador Nathalie Rayes, AMLC Founding Board Member and Co-Chair and former U.S. Ambassador to Croatia; Raul Anaya, President and Co-Head of Business Banking at Bank of America; Cástulo de la Rocha, President and CEO of AltaMed Health Services Corporation; Monica Lozano, Former President and CEO, The College Futures Foundation; Frankie Miranda, President and CEO of the Hispanic Federation; and other leaders from across the United States.
“We are at a critical moment for U.S.–Mexico relations, and continued engagement between our two countries is necessary. That's why I was proud to co-found the bipartisan U.S.-Mexico Congressional Caucus and join a diverse group of public, private, and philanthropic leaders in Mexico City last week," said Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX-20), Co-Chair of the bipartisan U.S.–Mexico Congressional Caucus and Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere. "These conversations helped us deepen our understanding of shared priorities, open up new lanes of dialogue and lay the groundwork for a stronger bilateral policy agenda. I look forward to continuing to partner with the American Mexican Leadership Council to build on the delegation's work and improve the lives of communities on both sides of the border."
“The economic opportunity before the United States and Mexico is enormous, but realizing it will require us to move beyond conversation and address the barriers that too often slow investment, innovation and growth,” said Martin Cabrera, AMLC Board Member and CEO and Founder of Cabrera Capital Markets and Cabrera Capital Partners. “Our discussions in Mexico City made clear that business and civic leaders are ready to act. The proposed U.S.–Mexico Leadership & Economic Opportunity Task Force offers a practical framework for transforming that shared commitment into sustained collaboration and measurable progress.”
Amb. Rayes, AMLC Founding Board Member and Co-Chair, at delegation welcome dinner
The delegation comes at a consequential moment for U.S.–Mexico relations. Mexico is the United States’ largest trading partner, with more than $935 billion in annual trade supporting millions of American jobs. Nearly 40 million people of Mexican heritage live in the United States and contribute almost $2 trillion annually to the U.S. economy.
Despite that economic, cultural and political influence, Mexican Americans have not had a national, bipartisan institution dedicated to bringing their leadership together around the bilateral relationship. AMLC was created to help fill that gap and ensure Mexican American leaders have a meaningful role in the decisions shaping both countries.
“Businesses on both sides of the border understand that bureaucracy, uncertainty and delay have real consequences for workers, companies and communities,” said Massey Villarreal, AMLC Board Member and CEO and President of Precision Task Group. “This delegation brought the right leaders together to identify where we can break through those obstacles and build a more competitive, resilient and integrated North American economy. We now have an opportunity to convert that alignment into action.”
“The strength of the U.S.–Mexico relationship should ultimately be measured by how it improves people’s lives,” said Cástulo de la Rocha, Founding Board Member and Board Treasurer of the American Mexican Leadership Council and President and CEO of AltaMed Health Services Corporation. “From addressing health care workforce shortages to expanding economic opportunity, our countries face challenges that cannot be solved in isolation. This delegation demonstrated the value of bringing cross-sector expertise to the table and developing practical solutions that draw on the talent and resources of both nations.”
The Mexico City delegation builds on AMLC’s launch earlier this year of the first bipartisan U.S.–Mexico Congressional Caucus, co-chaired by Rep. Castro and Rep. Rudy Yakym (R-IN). The caucus brought Democratic and Republican members of Congress together around shared priorities, including trade, security and migration.
Over the coming months, AMLC will draw on the delegation’s conversations and the continued engagement of its Leadership Council to develop a forward-looking 2027 policy agenda. The agenda will focus on strengthening North American economic competitiveness, supporting Mexican American workers and businesses, and ensuring that the U.S.–Mexico relationship delivers greater opportunity for families and communities in both countries.
Delegates enjoy surprise mariachi at closing event
About the American Mexican Leadership Council
The American Mexican Leadership Council is a bipartisan, cross-sector organization focused on elevating Mexican American leadership, supporting Mexicans in the United States and strengthening the partnership between the United States and Mexico. AMLC brings together leaders from business, government, philanthropy and civic life to translate the economic, cultural and political influence of Mexican Americans into meaningful policy impact.
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