Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum has denied claims by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump that they agreed to stop migration through Mexico to the United States. After a phone call between the two leaders on Wednesday, Trump posted on social media that Sheinbaum had agreed to “stop Migration through Mexico, and into the United States, effectively closing our Southern Border.”
Sheinbaum quickly responded, saying Mexico’s position is not to close its borders but to manage migration while respecting human rights. She explained that during the call, she shared Mexico’s strategy for handling migration. She added that migrant caravans were being addressed within Mexico before they could reach the northern border.
This disagreement happened as Trump announced plans to impose tariffs on Mexico, Canada, and China. Trump said he would impose a 25% tariff on Mexico and Canada if they did not stop illegal immigration and drug trafficking into the U.S. He also said China would face a 10% tariff unless it acted against fentanyl smuggling.
Sheinbaum said Mexico would retaliate if the U.S. imposed tariffs, stating that Mexico would raise tariffs in return. She was supported by Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard, who criticized Trump’s plan, calling it harmful to the region’s economy. Ebrard said the tariffs would hurt everyone involved and go against the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) that Trump himself negotiated in 2018.
Despite these tensions, Sheinbaum initially described her phone call with Trump as positive. She posted online that they had a good conversation about migration, but she later clarified that Mexico’s approach focuses on human rights and cooperation between nations. She said Mexico’s goal is to build bridges between governments and people, not to close its borders.
Meanwhile, Canada is also reacting to Trump’s tariff threats. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau held a meeting with provincial leaders to decide how to respond. Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said they agreed to work together against the tariffs, but some leaders doubted Trudeau’s ability to negotiate effectively with Trump.
Migration has become a major issue in the U.S., especially during the recent presidential election. Trump’s promise to seal the border and stop illegal immigration helped him win the presidency. Under President Joe Biden, U.S. border crossings decreased after stricter policies were introduced, but migration remains a challenge.
Mexico has taken steps to manage migration under pressure from the U.S. Authorities in Mexico are moving migrants to southern parts of the country, far from the U.S. border. This practice has left many migrants too exhausted and broke to continue their journey. As a result, thousands have asked to return to their home countries voluntarily.
When Trump takes office, he will inherit a situation where undocumented crossings at the U.S. border are lower than they have been in years. However, his tough policies and recent claims about migration deals with Mexico could strain relations between the two countries further.