Seventeen relatives of El Chapo were recently allowed to enter the U.S. in San Diego. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called the move by the Trump administration a 'total disgrace.'

The surrender of several relatives of Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán to U.S. authorities may indicate a rift within the family leading the powerful cartel

Mexican news reports suggest the U.S. recently orchestrated the secret, cross-border move of at least 17 relatives of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán to California.

El Chapo fronted the group for several years - during which the 68-year-old is believed to have caused the deaths of over 34,000 people. This led to him being considered the most powerful drug trafficker in the world by federal organisations.

Among the group of people who allegedly crossed on foot on May 9 through the San Ysidro port of entry in Tijuana is Griselda Guadalupe López Pérez, El Chapo’s ex-wife and one of the main operators of

Oscar Hagelsieb, former head of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, said U.S. authorities might have offered protection "not only to the sons of El Chapo—they offered it to a lot of people.