Trump threatens to shut Mexico border – ‘not kidding around’


PTI, Mar 31, 2019, 1:12 PM IST

Palm Beach: Threatening drastic action against Mexico, President Donald Trump declared Friday he is likely to shut down America’s southern border next week unless Mexican authorities immediately halt all illegal immigration.

Such a severe move could hit the economies of both countries, but the president emphasized, “I am not kidding around.” “It could mean all trade” with Mexico, Trump said when questioned by reporters in Florida. “We will close it for a long time.”

Trump has been promising for more than two years to build a long, impenetrable wall along the border to stop illegal immigration, though Congress has been reluctant to provide the money he needs. In the meantime, he has repeatedly threatened to close the border, but this time, with a new surge of migrants heading north , he gave a definite timetable.

A substantial closure could have an especially heavy impact on cross-border communities from San Diego to South Texas, as well as supermarkets that sell Mexican produce, factories that rely on imported parts, and other businesses across the U.S.

The US and Mexico trade about 1.7 billion in goods daily, according to the US Chamber of Commerce, which said closing the border would be “an unmitigated economic debacle” that would threaten 5 million American jobs.

Trump tweeted Friday morning, “If Mexico doesn’t immediately stop ALL illegal immigration coming into the United States through our Southern Border, I will be CLOSING the Border, or large sections of the Border, next week.”

In Florida, he didn’t qualify his threat with “or large sections,” stating: “There is a very good likelihood I’ll be closing the border next week, and that is just fine with me.”

He said several times that it would be “so easy” for Mexican authorities to stop immigrants passing through their country and trying to enter the US illegally, “but they just take our money and ‘talk.'”

Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen suggested Trump was referring to the ongoing surge of mostly Central American families heading north through Mexico. Many people who cross the border illegally ultimately request asylum under US law, which does not require asylum seekers to enter at an official crossing.

Short of a widespread shutdown, Nielsen said the U.S. might close designated ports of entry to re-deploy staff to help process parents and children. Ports of entry are official crossing points that are used by residents and commercial vehicles.

“If we have to close ports to take care of all of the numbers who are coming, we will do that,” Nielsen said. “So it’s on the table, but what we’re doing is a very structured process based on operational needs.” The White House did not immediately respond to questions about whether Trump’s possible action would apply to air travel.

Trump’s latest declaration came after Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said his country was doing its part to fight migrant smuggling. Criminal networks charge thousands of dollars a person to move migrants through Mexico, increasingly in large groups toward remote sections of the border.

Udayavani is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel and stay updated with the latest news.

Top News

Maharashtra assembly polls: Mahayuti leads in 146 seats, MVA ahead in 132

Kaziranga National Park to be centrepiece of 12th edition of ITM in Assam

Engineer dead, supervisor injured as wire rope snaps at metro site

Karnataka bypolls: Cong leads in Sandur, BJP and JD(S) ahead in Shiggaon and Channapatna

Elections: Vote counting begins Maharashtra & Jharkhand

Counting of votes underway for bypolls to three Assembly segments in Karnataka

Ullal: 70-year-old man allegedly rapes minor girl

Related Articles More

COP29: Civil society protests climate finance proposal, calls for ‘no deal’ over ‘bad deal’

Bomb disposal squad tackles ‘security incident’ at UK’s Gatwick Airport

Baku climate talks: The ‘X’ factor that could determine future of Global South

India-US ties have strong foundation: White House confident in navigating crisis over Adani bribery charges

PM Modi leaves for home after concluding three-nation visit

MUST WATCH

Christmas Cake Fruit Mixing

DK Shivakumar

Rose Cultivation

Geethotsava

Naxal Operation


Latest Additions

Delhi govt announces Rs 10 lakh compensation to family of drain accident victim

Jharkhand polls: BJP leading in 39, JMM ahead in 38

Binny Bansal steps down from board of PhonePe

Geethartha Chinthane 102: Self-development vs. self-contraction

Maharashtra assembly polls: Mahayuti leads in 146 seats, MVA ahead in 132

Thanks for visiting Udayavani

You seem to have an Ad Blocker on.
To continue reading, please turn it off or whitelist Udayavani.