Mexico’s President Contradicts Trump’s Claims on Migration Deal
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has challenged claims made by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump regarding a purported agreement to halt migration to the U.S. border.
Following a phone call on Wednesday, Trump posted: “She has agreed to stop Migration through Mexico, and into the United States, effectively closing our Southern Border.” However, Sheinbaum promptly clarified that Mexico’s stance remains to manage migration while upholding human rights, not to close its borders.
Earlier in the week, Trump had sparked concern among U.S. trade partners by pledging to impose sweeping tariffs: 25% on Mexico and Canada, and 10% on China, once he assumes office in January. He claimed these tariffs would only be lifted if illegal immigration and drug trafficking from Mexico and Canada were eliminated. China, he added, would face the tariffs until it addressed the smuggling of fentanyl into the U.S.
Sheinbaum, speaking on Wednesday, warned of retaliatory measures if the U.S. initiated a trade war. “If there are U.S. tariffs, Mexico would also raise tariffs,” she said at a press conference, flanked by Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard. Ebrard emphasized the need for regional cooperation, criticizing Trump’s tariff proposal as counterproductive and a violation of the USMCA trade agreement established in 2018 under Trump’s first presidency.
Despite these tensions, Sheinbaum initially described her phone conversation with Trump as productive. On X (formerly Twitter), she wrote: “We discussed Mexico's strategy on the migration phenomenon and I shared that [migrant] caravans are not arriving at the northern border because they are being taken care of in Mexico.”
Trump later offered a conflicting interpretation on Truth Social: “Mexico will stop people from going to our Southern Border, effective immediately.” In response, Sheinbaum reiterated Mexico’s commitment to a comprehensive migration strategy that respects human rights, rejecting the notion of border closures. “We reiterate that Mexico’s position is to build bridges between governments and peoples, not close borders,” she wrote.
Meanwhile, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau convened an emergency meeting with provincial premiers to address Trump’s tariff threats. Following the discussions, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland announced a unified Canadian response. However, dissent emerged, with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith questioning Trudeau’s ability to effectively negotiate with Trump, citing potential personal animosities between the two leaders.
In contrast, Chinese authorities have not yet directly addressed Trump’s proposed 10% tariff. A Chinese embassy official in Washington warned that no party benefits from a trade war.
Illegal immigration played a central role in Trump’s victorious 2024 campaign, where he promised to secure the U.S.-Mexico border. The issue had become a political liability for Democrats amid an unprecedented surge of undocumented immigrants. Outgoing President Joe Biden implemented stricter border measures during the election cycle, significantly reducing illegal crossings.
Under U.S. pressure, Mexico has intensified its migration crackdown, relocating non-Mexican migrants to its southern regions, far from the U.S. border. These measures, coupled with resource exhaustion, have led many migrants to voluntarily seek deportation to their home countries.
When Trump assumes office, he will inherit a significantly reduced number of undocumented migrant apprehensions at the southern border—the lowest in four years.
