Washington/Mexico City, Nov. 28, (dpa/GNA) – US President-elect Donald Trump’s plan to impose high import tariffs on Mexican goods has sparked a discussion with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on migration policy at their shared border.
Sheinbaum on Wednesday described the conversation as “excellent” on social media platform X, but provided few details about its content.
Trump he had a “wonderful conversation” with Sheinbaum, who he said “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 also, U.S. consumption of these drugs. It was a very productive conversation!” Trump wrote on Truth Social, the platform he co-founded.
“Mexico will stop people from going to our Southern Border, effective immediately. THIS WILL GO A LONG WAY TOWARD STOPPING THE ILLEGAL INVASION OF THE USA,” he added.
Sheinbaum said that she told Trump that no migrant caravans were reaching the US border “because they are being taken care of in Mexico.
The Mexican president added that the leaders also discussed “strengthening our collaboration on security issues within the framework of our sovereignty” as well as the campaing in the country to fight the use of fentanyl.
Sheinbaum did not mention border closures.
For years, Mexico has deployed its National Guard to prevent migrants from reaching the border with the US.
Thousands of migrants fleeing poverty, violence and political crisis – a lot of them from Central and South American countries – seek to reach the US via Mexico.
Hundreds die annually on the dangerous route north, often due heat strokes and dehydration. Others fall victim to criminal gangs.
Migration was a key topic in the US presidential election campaign, with Trump hammering about the southern border and often making derogatory remarks about migrants.
Earlier this week, Trump announced plans to impose a 25% import duty on all goods from Mexico upon taking office in January. He justified the tariffs by saying that crime and drugs, along with immigrants, were being imported from Mexico.
Sheinbaum questioned the effectiveness of the tariffs and hinted that Mexico might respond with its own trade measures.
GNA