Mexico president says migrant caravans will not reach US after Trump tariff threat

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said migrant caravans would no longer be arriving at the US-Mexico border after President-elect Donald Trump announced his incoming administration would impose steep tariffs on Mexico until the country takes action to stop illegal immigration to the US. Trump declared last week the 25 percent tariff on Mexican imports would remain in place "until such time as Drugs, in particular Fentynal and all Illegal Aliens stop this Invasion of our Country!"
 

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Sheinbaum said she would be sending a letter to Trump in the coming days detailing her plan to stop "caravans of migrants" from reaching the border, Newsweek reported. She also underlined Mexico's aspirations to regulate the circulation of drugs, such as synthetic opioid fentanyl, while acknowledging that it continues to be a "public health and consumption issue within your country's society."

Trump's strong stance on illegal migration has resurfaced as he prepared to reenter the White House in January. It has been reported that roughly 1,500 migrants from Central and South America are marching to the US southern border to try to illegally enter the country before Trump enters office and immediately implements his proposed policies on day one.

The urgency is partially fueled by Trump's pledge to eliminate measures like the CBP One app, which currently allows migrants to schedule asylum appointments remotely. The app has been heavily scrutinized for its lack of vetting migrants who claim to be seeking asylum. However, Sheinbaum emphasized to Trump that the caravans arriving at the US border are not the responsibility of Mexico, but rather the policies that the US has in place.

"Maybe President Trump doesn't know this, but of those arriving at the border - which is significantly fewer, 75 percent less than in December 2023 - half of them have a CBP One appointment. In other words, they have an appointment. So, they [the US] are the ones inviting them to come to the United States," Sheinbaum said.

She proposed that Mexico could respond in kind with respect to tariffs, cautioning, "One tariff would be followed by another in response, escalating until we risk harming mutual businesses," citing US automakers with manufacturing facilities on both sides of the border.

Trump's threat may encounter substantial challenges. The trade agreement between the US, Mexico, and Canada (USMCA) forbids member countries from unilaterally imposing tariffs on one another. Additionally, the interconnected economies, particularly the auto industry, which heavily depends on cross-border supply channels, could be disrupted by sudden measures. The president-elect threatened Canada with the same tariffs as Mexico.

Sheinbaum said she hopes to soon have an open dialogue with Trump to discuss the matter saying, "It is unacceptable and would cause inflation and job losses in both Mexico and the United States."