Trump Threatens to Double Mexican Tariffs Over New Migrant Caravan
U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to double tariffs on Mexican goods unless Mexico halts a migrant caravan heading toward the U.S. border, as tensions rise over Stephen Miller's appointment.
U.S. President Donald Trump threatened on Thursday to immediately double tariffs on Mexican goods if Mexico fails to stop a massive migrant caravan advancing toward the American border. The warning comes amid rising tensions and Mexican concerns over the appointment of Stephen Miller as White House Chief of Staff.
In a post on his social media network, Trump wrote that a new invasion is beginning following the recent midterm elections, arguing that large migrant caravans are forming in Mexico and warning that they will not be allowed to enter the United States. Mexico must stop the caravan immediately, or tariffs will be doubled without delay, the president emphasized.
According to Reuters, approximately 1,500 migrants, mostly from Central America, departed on Tuesday from the southern Mexican city of Tapachula near the Guatemalan border. Some migrants reportedly hope that recent political shifts in Washington might facilitate legal status in the future. Meanwhile, reports indicate that Stephen Miller's appointment has raised deep concerns within the Mexican government and business community regarding potential crackdowns on immigration and possible U.S. military action against drug cartels.
Miller assumed his role this week, succeeding Susie Wiles, and is regarded as a primary architect of Trump's strict immigration agenda. Trump did not specify which tariffs would be doubled or set a firm deadline. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum's administration has not yet responded to the threats, which caused the Mexican peso to weaken.
