Mexico, US Reportedly Discussing Migration Plans; Tariffs Could Be Delayed Or Avoided

The United States may delay imposing new tariffs on Mexican products. 

President Donald Trump said last week that he’d place 5-percent tariffs on Mexican goods until Mexico stopped the flow of migrants across the border. The tariff is set to go into effect Monday.

Bloomberg and The Washington Post reported Thursday that talks between Mexican and U.S. officials are underway on the issue, and  Mexico is pushing for additional time. Trump has said the tariffs could escalate to as high as 25 percent.

The Post said officials from the two nations are discussing a potential deal that would boost Mexican border enforcement efforts, including deploying thousands of National Guardsmen to Mexico’s southern border with Guatemala to try to prevent Central American migrants from transiting Mexico en route to the United States.

Also part of the talks: a proposal to overhaul asylum rules regionwide, including requiring Central Americans to seek asylum in the first foreign country they reach, rather than the last, the Post said.

That would mean the U.S. would quickly send Guatemalans to Mexico, where they could seek asylum. Honduran and Salvadoran migrants would have to seek asylum in Guatemala.

Bloomberg cited a U.S. official as saying that it is still likely the tariffs will take effect —  but if Mexico shows an effort to reduce migration, they could be removed.

Related Links: 

Congress Considers Blocking Trump's Mexico Tariffs

Trump Says Tariffs Working, Promises 'Dramatic' US-Mexico Border Announcement

U.S. Army photo of the border between Nogales, Arizona and Nogales, Mexico via Wikimedia.