This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/jun/07/us-mexico-deal-tariffs-trump-says

The article has changed 8 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 6 Version 7
Trump calls off tariffs after US-Mexico deal but Mnuchin says threat remains Trump calls off tariffs after US-Mexico deal but Mnuchin says threat remains
(about 2 hours later)
The US and Mexico have reached an agreement to stave off tariffs on Mexican goods, officials confirmed on Friday night. On Saturday Donald Trump heralded the deal but complained about its coverage by the US media, while his treasury secretary told reporters the president retained the authority to impose tariffs if Mexico did not live up to the deal. After the US and Mexico reached an agreement to stave off tariffs on Mexican goods in return for concessions on immigration, Donald Trump heralded the deal but complained about its coverage by US media. His treasury secretary said the president retained the authority to impose tariffs if Mexico did not live up to the deal.
Why tariffs could be Trump's undoing | Ross BarkanWhy tariffs could be Trump's undoing | Ross Barkan
Trump had threatened to impose 5% tariffs on all Mexican goods, rising to 25%, if the country did not agree new measures to stem migration from Central America. The tariffs were set to go in effect on Monday but the president tweeted late on Friday that a deal had been reached and the tariffs were “indefinitely suspended”.Trump had threatened to impose 5% tariffs on all Mexican goods, rising to 25%, if the country did not agree new measures to stem migration from Central America. The tariffs were set to go in effect on Monday but the president tweeted late on Friday that a deal had been reached and the tariffs were “indefinitely suspended”.
“Thanks to the support of all Mexicans, the imposition of tariffs on Mexican products exported to the USA has been avoided,” the Mexican president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, tweeted.
In a joint declaration, both countries said Mexico agreed to immediately expand along the entire border a program that sends migrants seeking asylum in the US back to Mexico while they await adjudication.In a joint declaration, both countries said Mexico agreed to immediately expand along the entire border a program that sends migrants seeking asylum in the US back to Mexico while they await adjudication.
Our expectation is that we won’t need to put tariffs in place, but obviously … the president retains that authority
The country also agreed to increase enforcement to contain the flow of migrants headed to the US, including by deploying national guard troops to its southern border and cracking down on human smuggling, the declaration said.The country also agreed to increase enforcement to contain the flow of migrants headed to the US, including by deploying national guard troops to its southern border and cracking down on human smuggling, the declaration said.
On Saturday Trump celebrated a victory, writing: “Mexico will try very hard, and if they do that, this will be a very successful agreement for both the United States and Mexico!” On Saturday, before going to his golf club in Virginia, Trump thanked Mexico’s president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, his foreign minister and “all of the many representatives of both the United States and Mexico, for working so long and hard to get our agreement on immigration completed!”
But he also complained that “there has … been much false reporting (surprise!) by the Fake and Corrupt News Media, such as Comcast/NBC, CNN, New York Times and Washington Post”. López Obrador previously tweeted his “thanks to the support of all Mexicans”.
Trump did not specify which reports had annoyed him, simply adding: “These ‘Fakers’ are Bad News!” Our expectation is that we won’t need to put tariffs in place, but obviously … the president retains that authority
Complaints about the mainstream media are as much part of Trump’s political messaging as diatribes against undocumented immigration and threats to impose tariffs on geopolitical competitors. Trump also complained that “there has … been much false reporting (surprise!) by the Fake and Corrupt News Media, such as Comcast/NBC, CNN, New York Times and Washington Post”. He did not specify which reports had annoyed him, simply adding: “These ‘Fakers’ are Bad News!”
At a meeting of G20 finance ministers in Fukuoka, Japan, the treasury secretary, Steven Mnuchin, said Trump retained the authority to impose tariffs. Complaints about the mainstream media are as much part of Trump’s political messaging as diatribes against undocumented migration and threats to impose tariffs on geopolitical competitors.
“We now have an agreement that we believe is going to fix the immigration issue,” Mnuchin told reporters, adding that he spoke to Trump just before the deal was announced. “And that was extremely important to the president. Trump also said that in implied contrast to his administration, “Nervous Nancy Pelosi [and] the Democrat House are getting nothing done” and tweeted that Mexico would “immediately begin buying large quantities of agricultural product from our great patriot farmers”.
At a meeting of G20 finance ministers in Fukuoka, Japan, treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin said he had spoken to Trump before the deal was announced and added: “We now have an agreement that we believe is going to fix the immigration issue. “And that was extremely important to the president.
“Our expectation is that Mexico will do what they’ve committed to do and our expectation is that we won’t need to put tariffs in place, but obviously if that’s not the case, the president retains that authority.”“Our expectation is that Mexico will do what they’ve committed to do and our expectation is that we won’t need to put tariffs in place, but obviously if that’s not the case, the president retains that authority.”
Friday’s agreement did not include a US proposal to return asylum seekers from Guatemala to Mexico, and Honduran and Salvadoran asylum seekers to Guatemala, Mexico’s foreign minister, Marcelo Ebrard, said. Friday’s agreement did not include a US proposal to return asylum seekers from Guatemala to Mexico, and Honduran and Salvadoran asylum seekers to Guatemala, said Mexico’s foreign minister, Marcelo Ebrard.
“I think it’s a fair balance: they had more drastic measures and proposals at the start and we reached some middle point,” he said, adding that the the national guard deployment would start on Monday.“I think it’s a fair balance: they had more drastic measures and proposals at the start and we reached some middle point,” he said, adding that the the national guard deployment would start on Monday.
Ebrard highlighted US support in the agreement for a Mexican proposal to jointly address the causes of migration from Central America.Ebrard highlighted US support in the agreement for a Mexican proposal to jointly address the causes of migration from Central America.
The asylum program is commonly known as Remain in Mexico and operates in the border cities of Tijuana, Mexicali and Ciudad Juarez. Under the new deal, returned asylum seekers will spend long periods in cities such as Reynosa, on the Texas border.The asylum program is commonly known as Remain in Mexico and operates in the border cities of Tijuana, Mexicali and Ciudad Juarez. Under the new deal, returned asylum seekers will spend long periods in cities such as Reynosa, on the Texas border.
I think it’s a fair balance: they had more drastic measures and proposals at the start and we reached some middle pointI think it’s a fair balance: they had more drastic measures and proposals at the start and we reached some middle point
Drug cartels frequently kidnap migrants in such cities. The program was challenged in court earlier this year by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and other groups which say it puts asylum seekers in danger and violates US and international law.Drug cartels frequently kidnap migrants in such cities. The program was challenged in court earlier this year by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and other groups which say it puts asylum seekers in danger and violates US and international law.
A federal judge ruled to halt the policy but an appeals court overturned the decision. Between January and June, 10,393 mostly Central Americans have been sent back to Mexico.A federal judge ruled to halt the policy but an appeals court overturned the decision. Between January and June, 10,393 mostly Central Americans have been sent back to Mexico.
Mexico and US officials had been negotiating for three days in Washington and businesses were bracing. Americans bought $378bn of Mexican imports last year, led by cars and auto parts. Companies were racing to ship as many goods as possible out of Mexico, including cars, construction materials and appliances. Hundreds of semi-trailers idled in line at a truck crossing in Tijuana. Mexico and US officials negotiated for three days in Washington. Americans bought $378bn of Mexican imports last year, led by cars and auto parts. Companies were racing to ship as many goods as possible out of Mexico, including cars, construction materials and appliances. On Friday, hundreds of semi-trailers idled at a truck crossing in Tijuana.
The two countries will continue discussions, to be completed in 90 days, on further steps, according to the declaration. The two countries will continue talks, to be completed in 90 days, on further steps.
Trump has embraced tariffs as a political tool to force countries to comply with his demands, in this case on his signature issue of immigration. In Fukuoka on Saturday, Mnuchin said he planned talks on trade with the governor of China’s central bank. Trump has embraced tariffs as a way to force countries to comply with his demands, in this case on his signature issue, immigration. In Fukuoka on Saturday, Mnuchin said he planned talks on trade with the governor of China’s central bank.
Mexico could tighten migration controls to defuse Trump tariffs threatMexico could tighten migration controls to defuse Trump tariffs threat
At home, Trump had faced bipartisan opposition toward his tariff plan. At home, Trump faced bipartisan opposition toward his tariff plan. After the deal was announced, the Republican senator Marco Rubio of Florida echoed Trump, writing on Twitter: “The threat of tariffs got Mexico to agree to take unprecedented steps to control illegal migration. Will be very interesting to see how media covers this now. It is going to be very hard for some of them to give [Trump] credit for this.”
On Friday the Republican senator Marco Rubio of Florida greeted the deal and echoed Trump, writing on Twitter: “The threat of tariffs got Mexico to agree to take unprecedented steps to control illegal migration. Will be very interesting to see how media covers this now. It is going to be very hard for some of them to give [Trump] credit for this.”
In return Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer was sarcastic, using a tweet to point to Trump’s use of tariffs as a political tool: “This is an historic night! [Trump] has announced that he has cut a deal to ‘greatly reduce, or eliminate, illegal immigration coming from Mexico, and into the United States.In return Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer was sarcastic, using a tweet to point to Trump’s use of tariffs as a political tool: “This is an historic night! [Trump] has announced that he has cut a deal to ‘greatly reduce, or eliminate, illegal immigration coming from Mexico, and into the United States.
“Now that that problem is solved, I’m sure we won’t be hearing any more about it in the future.”“Now that that problem is solved, I’m sure we won’t be hearing any more about it in the future.”
Trump has repeatedly warned of an “invasion” and criminal threats at the border. Agents made 132,887 arrests in May, the first time detentions have increased past 100,000 since April 2007, and the highest monthly total since Trump took office. Of those detained, 11,507 were unaccompanied children. Trump has repeatedly warned of an “invasion” and criminal threats at the border. Agents made 132,887 arrests of migrants in May, the first time detentions have increased past 100,000 since April 2007 and the highest monthly total since Trump took office. Of those detained, 11,507 were unaccompanied children.
Donald TrumpDonald Trump
MexicoMexico
AmericasAmericas
US immigrationUS immigration
US foreign policyUS foreign policy
US politicsUS politics
Trump administrationTrump administration
newsnews
Share on FacebookShare on Facebook
Share on TwitterShare on Twitter
Share via EmailShare via Email
Share on LinkedInShare on LinkedIn
Share on PinterestShare on Pinterest
Share on WhatsAppShare on WhatsApp
Share on MessengerShare on Messenger
Reuse this contentReuse this content