Trump Threatens Mexico Tariffs Over Migrant Caravans

President Donald Trump threatened to immediately double tariffs on Mexico if the Mexican government fails to stop migrant caravans from reaching the U.S. border. Trump characterized the movement of migrants, primarily from Central America, as an "invasion" and claimed that Republican losses in the midterm elections emboldened the migration efforts. Reports indicate caravans of up to 2,000 people departed from Tapachula, Mexico, on November 11.

Border Czar Tom Homan and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin asserted that migrants will not be released into the United States. Homan stated that arrivals will be turned around or prosecuted and jailed before deportation, while Mullin confirmed that deportations are continuing at a rate of approximately 3,600 people per day. The U.S. Embassy in Mexico further warned that midterm election results did not open the border or eliminate the consequences of illegal entry.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum responded by stating that no migrant caravan has reached the northern border since Trump took office. While Sheinbaum rejected calls to militarize Mexico's southern border, reports indicate the Mexican government has provided police escorts and lodging to a caravan known as "God With Us" as it travels toward Mexico City. This escalation occurs as the two nations simultaneously negotiate the reduction of existing tariffs on Mexican steel.