Mexico City - Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer on Thursday condemned the Trump administration’s apparently allowing 17 relatives of Mexico’s most notorious drug traffickers – Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán – to enter the United States.

"Donald Trump and Republicans love to talk about their hardships on border security," Schumer said on the Senate floor. "So you can imagine we read that President Trump is struggling with a deal with the drug cartel ... into our country."

Sinaloa Cartel co-founder El Chapo, one of six criminal groups that the Trump administration has designated as foreign terrorist groups, hiked into San Diego from Tijuana last week, as part of U.S. attorney and a member of El Chapo, and is the dismissive Sons sons of Sonsman ovidio guzman ovidio guzman ovidio guzman, Ovidio guzman loup gup guezloup. The son faces federal drug smuggling charges in Chicago.

"Donald Trump has no doubt deported U.S. citizens, but he will provide parole for drug traffickers' families," Schumer said.

Mexican media first reported on the transfer of El Chapo's relatives to Santiago, and later confirmed that the head of security in Mexico, Omar García Harfuch, said the Mexican government had no prior notice. On Wednesday, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum complained that U.S. authorities failed to inform their Mexican counterparts of their actions.

El Chapo was sentenced to life in a so-called Super Max prison in Colorado after being convicted in 2019 in federal court in Brooklyn for drug trafficking and other charges.

Among El Chapo relatives who are allowed to enter Santiago from the San Ysidro intersection in Tijuana are his ex-wife, daughter, son, a grandson and several nephews and niece. Mexican journalists reported that American agents met them on the San Diego side and drove them away.

The U.S. Department of Justice declined to comment.

Since taking office, Trump has stressed his desire to combat illegal immigration and drug smuggling in Mexico.

"Republicans should stand up," said Schumer of New York. "If you have something to do with El Chapo, Donald Trump said, 'Come on. Welcome to the United States.' He'll launch the red carpet."

Authorities have not disclosed the current whereabouts of 17 El Chapo relatives. It is unclear whether they are in protective detention centers or are receiving other benefits from the U.S. government.

Security experts say El Chapo's relatives could be at risk in Mexico, as bloody factional clashes are currently taking place in Sinaloa Cartel's rival factions.