Donald Trump takes the stage during a campaign rally on November 04, 2024, in Raleigh, North … [+] Carolina. Donald Trump has threatened to impose high tariffs on goods from Mexico even though the Mexican government has already helped reduce illegal entry into the United States. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
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In recent discussions, the former president, Donald Trump, boldly hinted at plans to impose steeper tariffs on Mexican goods, despite their apparent success in lessening illegal entries into the US. According to The New York Times, these proposed tariffs, rumoured to be as high as 25%, raise concerns among economists about the potential strain on the interlinked economies of North America and the inevitable price hikes for American consumers.
Illegal immigration *continues* to be an ever-controversial issue. In October 2024, data shows a substantial reduction in illegal crossings compared to figures when Trump was in office. For instance, there were 56,530 encounters at the southwest border, significantly less than the 75,316 recorded in January 2021.
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A Closer Look: Trump’s Outspoken Trade and Immigration Policies
Despite not yet stepping into the Presidential role, Trump has managed to stir up relations with Canada and Mexico. Via a post on Truth Social, he decried a caravan of migrants heading for the United States, threatening a 25% tariff until drugs and migrants halted their “invasion.” “Drugs, in particular, Fentanyl, must stop flowing into our country,” wrote Trump. The former president insists Mexico and Canada hold the power to quash this issue.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has made her stance clear, affirming Mexico’s commitment to a comprehensive migrant assistance strategy. She argued, in a direct letter to Trump, that the burden of necessity requires cooperation for any meaningful labour mobility model.
Impacts of Trump’s Proposed Tariffs
According to the American Action Forum, Trump’s proposed economic measures could saddle American households with an additional $1,700 annually. Additionally, if both nations retaliate, the ripple effects could include disrupted sales for U.S. firms. Moreover, Trump mused about imposing a 10% tariff on Chinese imports, regarding drug penalties as insufficiently enforced—a claim their representatives have disputed.
The Influence on Fentanyl Overdose Rates
There’s also a murmur around Trump’s bolstering rhetoric blaming Mexico, Canada, and China for the fentanyl crisis, seemingly overlooking his administration’s input. When his policies in 2020 restricted non-essential border traffic, drug traffickers turned to fentanyl—a lucrative, albeit more lethal substitute for heroin. As a result, overdose fatalities spiked, particularly evident in data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Consequently, the potential closing of humanitarian parole programmes, which reduced illegal entries and filled some gaps in cooperation with Mexico, might prove counterproductive. The Biden administration had turned to legal pathways, such as its humanitarian parole programmes, to facilitate more stable immigration flows, a decisive action that helped regain trust and cooperation from Mexico.
A Better Immigration Deal for Mexico?
The future of US-Mexico immigration collaboration hinges on forthcoming administrative decisions. With the change in presidency, the continuation of cooperative programmes like CBP One might stand on rocky ground. President Sheinbaum highlighted the need for expanded labour mobility, particularly for skilled Mexican nationals wanting legal work in the US.
Should Mexico decide, they can insist on streamlined H-2A and expanded H-2B visa categories, which facilitate work access in the US. As things stand, human faces thirst for these opportunities and the promise of legitimate incomes, encouragingly nudging forward progressive bilateral cooperation.
In short, Trump’s aggressive tariffs could meddle with partnerships woven through diplomacy rather than discord, potentially overshadowing the progress made in recent years.
A U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent searches an automobile for contraband in the line to … [+] enter the United States at the San Ysidro Port of Entry on October 2, 2019. When the Trump administration decided in March 2020 to close U.S. ports of entry to nonessential traffic during the Covid-19 pandemic, it accelerated drug traffickers’ shift to fentanyl. (Photo by SANDY HUFFAKER/AFP via Getty Images)
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