(AP) WEST PALM BEACH, FL Donald Trump claimed he spoke with the Mexican president and she promised to restrict migration through Mexico, two days after he threatened to impose broad new tariffs on Canada and Mexico as part of his drive to crack down on illegal immigration and drugs.
Trump claimed that this was essentially closing our southern border in a post on his Truth Social account on Wednesday night. He described the conversation as quite fruitful!
Claudia Sheinbaum, the president of Mexico, acknowledged speaking with Trump and described the exchange as “excellent.”
Sheinbaum posted on social media, “We talked about Mexico’s approach to migration issues, and I told him that the caravans are not reaching the northern (U.S.) border because Mexico is taking care of them.” In the context of our sovereignty, we also discussed strengthening our collaboration on security matters and the campaign we are implementing to stop the use of fentanyl.
It was unclear how the discussion would affect Trump’s tariff proposal.
As one of his first executive orders after taking office on January 20, Trump said Monday that he would levy a 25% tariff on all goods coming into the US from Canada and Mexico. Even though southern border apprehensions have been close to four-year lows, he lashed out against an inflow of migrants entering the U.S. illegally when he announced his plans on his Truth Social website.
Trump appears to be hailing the Biden administration’s increased cooperation in stopping migration from Mexico, which has contributed to a decrease in illegal migration across the Mexican border.
From a record high in December, arrivals at the U.S.-Mexico border have decreased by 40%. Mexican vigilance at railroad yards and highway checkpoints is mostly credited by U.S. officials.
___
This report was written by Mark Stevenson in Mexico City and Jill Colvin in New York for the Associated Press.
The Associated Press, 2024. All rights reserved. All rights reserved. It is prohibited to publish, broadcast, rewrite, or redistribute this content without authorization.
Note: Every piece of content is rigorously reviewed by our team of experienced writers and editors to ensure its accuracy. Our writers use credible sources and adhere to strict fact-checking protocols to verify all claims and data before publication. If an error is identified, we promptly correct it and strive for transparency in all updates, feel free to reach out to us via email. We appreciate your trust and support!