President-elect Donald Trump declared a win in halting illegal immigration from Mexico after discussions with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum. Sheinbaum, however, noted that Mexico was already managing migrant caravans and stressed the country's focus on building cooperative international relationships, pushing back on Trump's assertions. Trump and Sheinbaum's conversation follows Trump's threats of imposing significant tariffs on Canadian and Mexican goods to pressure these nations on immigration and drug issues.
Despite no tariffs being enforced, Trump considers the dialogue with Sheinbaum as evidence of progress. He suggested this exchange effectively closed the Southern border and credited his tariff threats for triggering cooperation. Mexican efforts have indeed contributed to a 40% reduction in border arrivals, largely due to increased vigilance. In response, Sheinbaum emphasized Mexico's ongoing commitment to manage migration and enhance security cooperation whilst preserving sovereignty, suggesting she's not interested in closing the border. She said she and Trump had an "excellent conversation."
The potential tariffs could disrupt the US-Mexico-Canada trade agreement and impact economic stability. Trump announced plans for a 25% tariff on goods from Canada and Mexico, and an additional 10% tariff on China because of its role in fentanyl production. The conversation underscores Trump's strategy of using trade policies as leverage and his focus on combating illegal immigration and drug trafficking, including a proposed advertising campaign to raise awareness about the dangers of fentanyl. The opioid, initially for medical use, has increasingly been mixed into the illicit drug supply. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)
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