President-elect Trump Claims Mexico Agreed to Halt Migration

Washington, D.C., The Gulf Observer: President-elect Donald Trump announced on social media Wednesday that Mexico’s leadership had agreed to “stop” migration to the United States, effectively closing the southern border. Trump hailed the development as a significant step toward ending what he termed an “illegal invasion,” a central promise of his presidential campaign.

“Mexico will stop people from going to our Southern Border, effective immediately,” Trump wrote, suggesting a breakthrough in US-Mexico discussions on migration.

However, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum responded swiftly, disputing Trump’s characterization of the talks. “Mexico’s position is not to close borders but to build bridges between governments and communities,” Sheinbaum posted on X, formerly Twitter.

Sheinbaum shared details of their recent conversation, describing it as a discussion of Mexico’s migration management strategy. “Caravans are not arriving at the northern border because they are being taken care of in Mexico,” she noted, adding that the talks also covered enhanced collaboration on security and efforts to combat fentanyl consumption.

Trump’s comments come amid heightened tensions over his proposed tariffs on Mexican and Canadian imports, which he announced earlier this week. The tariffs, set at 25% for Mexico and Canada and 10% for China, are tied to his campaign to curb migration and drug trafficking. Trump emphasized that the tariffs would remain in place until “drugs, in particular fentanyl, and all illegal aliens stop this invasion of our country.”

Mexican Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard warned of the economic fallout should Trump impose these tariffs, estimating that “400,000 jobs will be lost” in the United States, particularly in industries reliant on Mexican manufacturing. He cited the potential $3,000 increase in the price of pickup trucks, which are predominantly manufactured in Mexico, as a key example of the tariffs’ impact on US consumers.

“The impact of this measure will chiefly be felt by consumers in the United States… That is why we say that it would be a shot in the foot,” Ebrard said during a joint press conference with President Sheinbaum.

Trump, who campaigned on strict immigration policies, has vowed to declare a national emergency on border security upon taking office in January, employing the US military for mass deportations of undocumented migrants. The diverging statements from US and Mexican leaders suggest further negotiations will be needed to address shared challenges.