Trump Claims Mexico Agreed to Block Illegal Immigrants
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump announced on social media that he had a phone conversation with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, claiming that Mexico agreed to block illegal immigrants heading to the United States. Trump posted on his social media platform Truth Social, saying, “I just had a great talk with the new Mexican President. He agreed to effectively block immigrants entering the U.S. through Mexico and secure the southern border of the United States.”
Trump also mentioned discussing solutions to combat drug flows into the U.S. and consumption within the country, touting the dialogue as productive. He added that Mexico would immediately halt people heading for the U.S. southern border, which he claimed would help stop illegal immigration.
Throughout his political career, Trump has criticized illegal immigration through Mexico from Latin America. During his first term, he pressured Mexico to block large migrant groups known as “caravans” moving northwards. Last year, he criticized Mexico during his election campaign for bypassing tariffs with illegal immigrants and foreign companies.
Additionally, Trump warned about the opioid fentanyl coming from China, causing significant loss of life. He pledged to impose a 10% tariff on Chinese imports immediately upon taking office, suggesting drugs mainly enter through Mexico.
He took a jab at the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), claiming thousands of people from Mexico and Canada were pouring into the U.S., escalating crime, and drug issues. He argued this was due to “open borders” and announced plans to impose a 25% tariff on all products from Mexico and Canada as his first executive order after taking office on January 20.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau contacted Trump after his announcement, calling their discussion “good.” Sheinbaum warned in a letter that tariffs could lead to inflation and job losses, and hinted at Mexico’s readiness for retaliatory measures.
Sheinbaum shared on social media that she had a “great conversation” with Trump, discussing Mexico’s strategy on migration and security issues, including campaigns against fentanyl abuse. She did not provide an official response to Trump’s claims on blocking immigrants.
In a press conference, Sheinbaum mentioned ongoing communications between the Mexican Foreign Minister and the U.S. President-elect’s team, expecting a meeting before Trump’s inauguration on January 20. Economic Minister Marcelo Ebrard warned that U.S. tariffs on Mexican products could result in losing at least 400,000 jobs in the U.S.
Ebrard, in a radio interview, suggested Trump’s tariff threats might be more about negotiation than actual implementation, adding optimism to the prospect of upcoming dialogues.