Mexican Officials Warn Trump Tariffs Could Exacerbate Immigration Problem

Mexican diplomats warned Monday that the Trump administration’s threat to impose tariffs on all Mexican imports to the U.S. until the country does more to control the flow of illegal immigrants could have the opposite effect of exacerbating the situation at the southern border.

The move may well be “counterproductive,” said Mexican ambassador to the U.S. Martha Barcena during emergency talks in Washington, D.C. on Monday. “Without Mexico’s efforts, an additional quarter million migrants could arrive at the U.S. border in 2019.”

Trump’s announcement, made at the end of last month on Twitter, called for a 5 percent tariff on all products from Mexico to take effect on June 10 and continue until “the Illegal Immigration problem is remedied.” The U.S. will progressively raise tariffs to 25 percent by October if Mexico refuses to take action on immigration, according to the White House.

Meta Tolerated Sex Traffickers With 17-Strike System, Lawsuit Claims

This Is Why You Can’t Trust Public Schools: Teachers Union Teaches ‘Interrupting Whiteness’

Hegseth defends lethal strikes against alleged drug traffickers: ‘Biden coddled terrorists, we kill them’

White House implored to institutionalize DOGE after reports of premature demise

Court Rules 12-Year-Old’s Mother Cannot Read Her the Bible, Take Her to Church

Illinois man charged with arson after allegedly setting home ablaze on Thanksgiving

USCIS halts ‘all asylum decisions’ after DC shooting of National Guard members

Abbey Gate Gold Star father blisters Biden after Afghan national allegedly ambushes 2 National Guardsmen in DC

Northwestern to pay $75M in federal civil-rights deal after antisemitism probes

Utah death row inmate with dementia dies of natural causes 3 months after execution was halted

At least two reported victims with gunshot wounds at Valley Fair Mall in California on Black Friday: police

State Department ‘immediately’ halts all Afghan passport visas following deadly National Guard attack

Trump plans ‘full and complete pardon’ for former Honduran president convicted of drug trafficking

EXCLUSIVE: Stefanik steamrolls top conservative opponent; GOP leaders hand her commanding edge in NY primary

A look back at the biggest presidential Thanksgiving scandals, surprises

“Slapping tariffs, along with a decision to cancel aid programs to the northern Central American countries, could have a counterproductive effect and would not reduce migrations flows,” Mexican foreign-affairs secretary Marcelo Ebrard said. “The tariffs could be very costly for the U.S. economy, for consumers in the United States, and the Mexican economy.”

Mexico’s agriculture secretary, Víctor Manuel Villalobos, said a 5 percent tariff on Mexican products headed to the U.S. would cut such trade by $1.4 billion annually.

Mexico is “willing to continue to work with the U.S. to address issues of common concern,” Ebrard said. “We believe our countries can reach a deal on how to face a matter on which our approaches are different.”

The officials also highlighted Mexico’s current efforts to control illegal immigration to the U.S., with Barcena noting that the country has deported more than 80,000 migrants back to their countries of origin. Mexico is also allowing nearly 9,000 migrants to stay in Mexico as they await asylum hearings in the U.S., and hosting another 18,000 migrants who plan to apply for asylum as soon as availability allows.