Trump Says Mexico Agrees to Halt Migrant Flow Following Call With Mexican President and Tariff Warning

President-elect Donald Trump announced that he had a conversation with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, during which she reportedly agreed to take immediate action to curb migration through Mexico into the United States.

The agreement follows Trump’s threat to impose significant tariffs on Mexican goods if the country does not do more to address illegal immigration and drug trafficking.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated, “Just had a wonderful conversation with the new President of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo.

She has agreed to stop migration through Mexico and into the United States, effectively closing our southern border.

We also talked about what can be done to stop the massive drug inflow into the United States and the US. Consumption of these drugs. It was a very productive conversation!”

Trump reiterated that Mexico’s commitment to stopping migration would begin immediately, describing it as a significant step toward ending what he termed an “illegal invasion.”

Mexican President’s Position
President Sheinbaum also commented on the conversation via X, formerly Twitter, highlighting a focus on collaboration.

She said the discussion centred on enhancing joint efforts on security issues and described the talk as “excellent.”

She also outlined Mexico’s current migration strategy, which prioritises respecting human rights and assisting migrants and caravans before crossing the border.

“Mexico’s position is not to close borders but to build bridges between governments and peoples,” Sheinbaum emphasised.

Sheinbaum, who recently assumed office, had earlier warned that Mexico would retaliate with tariffs if Trump imposed economic penalties.

She said at a press conference, “If there are U.S. tariffs, Mexico would also raise tariffs.”

Trump’s Tariff Threats on Mexico and China
Trump’s threats to Mexico included a 25% tariff on goods if the country failed to address migration and drug smuggling effectively.

He also targeted China, threatening a 10% tariff over what he described as China’s role in supplying precursors for fentanyl production.

U.S. officials have frequently highlighted that fentanyl, a potent synthetic opioid responsible for numerous overdose deaths in the country, is primarily produced in Mexico using chemicals sourced from China.

Trump criticised both nations for their roles in the drug epidemic, pledging to launch a large-scale awareness campaign for Americans about the dangers of fentanyl.

“Millions of lives are being needlessly destroyed,” Trump stated. “By the time the Campaign is over, everyone will know how awful the horror of this drug is.”

China Responds
In response to Trump’s remarks, China’s state-run China Daily criticised the proposed tariffs, labelling them as “far-fetched.” The editorial underscored that the threats lacked justification and dismissed them as unwarranted.

The issue of fentanyl remains a significant point of contention, with Trump focusing on its devastating impact and vowing to address its production and distribution through more rigid policies and international cooperation.

Both Trump and Sheinbaum expressed optimism about working together, but significant differences in their approaches to migration and trade suggest potential challenges ahead.