Trump: If Mexico Doesn't Stop Migrants, We Will Increase Import Tariffs

Donald Trump, the President of the United States, stated on Thursday, April 4, that he will not immediately carry out his threat to close the southern border, but if Mexico does not take effective measures to prevent the wave of illegal migrants, he will increase tariffs on imported auto parts. According to the Associated Press, Trump told reporters that before closing the southern borders, he would first pursue a less severe solution. He specified that he is giving Mexico 12 months to take acceptable action to prevent illegal migrants from entering. Trump said, 'Mexico knows that we will either close the border or increase auto tariffs. I will take one of these two actions, and I will probably start with increasing tariffs.' He added, 'I don’t think we will ever have to close the borders because the consequences of a 25% tariff increase on auto imports will be enormous.' On April 1, Trump warned that if Mexico does not immediately stop all these illegal migrants from entering the United States through the southern border, he would close a significant portion of the southern border of the U.S. Following Trump's statements, several White House advisors, local officials, and economists warned about the economic consequences of closing the borders for both countries, stating that such an action would raise prices for American consumers. Preventing illegal migrants from entering the U.S. was one of Trump's campaign promises. He has also called for the construction of a wall at the U.S.-Mexico border, which has faced strong opposition from the Democratic Party. Trump declared a 'national emergency' on February 15 due to what he calls 'a humanitarian and security crisis' at the southern borders. He previously stated that the U.S. is facing an influx of criminal gangs and drug traffickers, as well as a flood of illegal migrants, which makes the construction of a border wall a necessity.