Mexico and Trump disagree on border control plans
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Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and former President Donald Trump have offered conflicting accounts of their recent conversation regarding border control and migration policies.
Following their Wednesday discussion, Trump announced that Sheinbaum had committed to halting migration through Mexico and effectively sealing the southern U.S. border. However, Sheinbaum quickly countered these claims through social media.
The president of Mexico responds to Trump, after his warning about the spread of Mexican products: "It's not a threat or a problem that meets the migratory phenomenon or drug consumption." Tension moments are approaching in negotiations pic.twitter.com/KNbVy76Bv8
— Juan Manuel Ríos P (@jmriosp) November 26, 2024
“In our conversation with President Trump, I explained to him the comprehensive strategy that Mexico has followed to address the migration phenomenon, respecting human rights,” Sheinbaum posted after Trump’s statements about their call, reports ABC News.
“Thanks to this, migrants and caravans are assisted before they reach the border,” she wrote. “We reiterate that Mexico’s position is not to close borders but to build bridges between governments and between peoples.”
The conversation occurred shortly after Trump declared his intention to implement a 25% tariff on Mexican imports should he return to office. While both leaders described their exchange as productive, their interpretations of the outcomes differed significantly.
Addressing Trump’s tariff threats, Sheinbaum took a firm stance during a press conference, reading from a letter she had sent to Trump: “President Trump, it is not with threats nor with tariffs that migration and drug consumption in the U.S. will be dealt with. These great challenges require cooperation and mutual understanding.”
Trump, Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum disagree over migration deal details after phone callhttps://t.co/4uq6IJGSsA pic.twitter.com/pXxWxA5JJb
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) November 29, 2024
The Mexican president also challenged Trump’s narrative on drug trafficking, emphasizing that Mexico neither manufactures firearms nor consumes synthetic drugs. She pointed to U.S. drug demand as a driving force behind Mexico’s ongoing drug-related violence.
Trump, Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum disagree over migration deal details after phone callhttps://t.co/4uq6IJGSsA pic.twitter.com/pXxWxA5JJb
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) November 29, 2024
This approach marks a departure from her predecessor, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who previously negotiated with Trump in 2018 to increase Mexico’s immigration enforcement in exchange for dropping similar tariff threats.
While both leaders confirmed discussing security collaboration and fentanyl trafficking, Sheinbaum maintained that Mexico’s strategy focuses on managing migration humanely rather than closing borders entirely.
