The United States Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly on Thursday promised "no mass deportations" or military force against immigrants in the U.S. despite a crackdown on those in the country illegally, AFP reported.

"There will be no, repeat no mass deportations", Kelly told a news conference in Mexico City after meeting with Mexican ministers. 

"There will be no use of military force for immigration operations," he added.

This comes after Kelly on Tuesday issued new orders to begin arresting and deporting illegal immigrants, many of them Mexicans.

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was also in Mexico City where he met with his Mexican counterpart, Luis Videgaray, the report said.

According to AFP, Tillerson said the two sides "reiterated our joint commitment to maintaining law and order along our shared border by stopping potential terrorists and dismantling the transnational criminal networks moving drugs and people into the United States."

But he agreed that cooperation on border security had to work both ways.

"We underscored the importance of stopping the illegal firearms and bulk cash that is originating in the United States and flowing into Mexico," he said.

"There's no mistaking that the rule of law matters along both sides of the border."

However, recently U.S. President Donald Trump said he was determined to reduce the $70 billion U.S. trade deficit with Mexico even at the risk of harming ties.