Trump threatens to immediately double tariffs on Mexico if it does not stop migrant caravans
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said no caravan has reached the U.S. border since Trump returned to office, and that an earlier one dwindled from as many as 600 people to fewer than 100.
By James Mitchell ·
Why it matters: It is unclear which legal authority he would use to double the tariffs after the Supreme Court rejected his emergency economic powers in February.
For information only, not investment advice.
An estimated 1,500 people, mostly from Central America, set off Tuesday from the southern city of Tapachula near the Guatemala border, Fox News said.1 President Donald Trump wrote in a Thursday morning Truth Social post that "Huge CARAVANS are forming and beginning their illegal march through Mexico," and that if Mexico does not stop them now, "the Tariffs on Mexico will be IMMEDIATELY DOUBLED."1
Any tariff increase would matter, especially for Texas, which traded $301.8 billion in goods with Mexico last year, Texas Public Radio reported, citing Dallas Fed economist Roberto Coronado.2 The state handles about three-quarters of U.S.-Mexico land trade, Coronado said.2
"Many of the people in these Caravans are those that various countries don’t want - ‘Send them to America,’ they say - But they will not be accepted!" he wrote.1 The post began, "Here we go again!" He added, "With the perceived loss by the Republicans in the Midterms - I WAS NOT ON THE BALLOT- the INVASION of our Country is taking place again."1
The station said estimates of the group’s size vary between 1,000 and 2,000, and that the migrants left Tapachula heading toward Mexico City.2 Some migrants told news agencies that Democrats’ election wins had given them new hope of reaching the United States.2
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said no caravan has reached the U.S. border since Trump returned to office.2 She said an earlier one dwindled from as many as 600 people to fewer than 100.2 Asked whether Mexico would use repression, she said no, describing the approach as accompaniment, and the station said Mexican authorities have broken up caravans before.2
It is unclear which legal authority Trump would use to double tariffs after the Supreme Court rejected his emergency economic powers in February, the station said.2 In a CBS “60 Minutes” interview, Trump said his deportation campaign might have been “too tough” for voters.2 He acknowledged that some people removed from the country had good jobs and paid taxes and suggested he could reach an immigration agreement with Democrats, who won both chambers of Congress in the Nov. 3 elections and take control in January.2
Sources
Tags: tariffs-trade · white-house · elections