WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to impose new tariff on Mexico if the country does not take action 'reduce or eliminate the number of illegal aliens' crossing into the U.S.



Trump said that from 10 June a 5% tariff would be imposed on all goods imported from Mexico and would slowly rise 'until the Illegal Immigration problem is remedied'.



'On June 10th, the United States will impose a 5% Tariff on all goods coming into our Country from Mexico, until such time as illegal migrants coming through Mexico, and into our Country, STOP. The Tariff will gradually increase until the Illegal Immigration problem is remedied,' Trump tweeted.



The White House said in a statement that Trump would carry out his threat under authority from the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and that he would lift tariffs only 'if the illegal migration crisis is alleviated through effective actions taken by Mexico.'



The statement warned that if Mexico did not act as Trump demanded, tariffs would rise by 5% each month until October 1, when the rate would reach 25%.



White House also warned that Tariffs will permanently remain at the 25 percent level unless and until Mexico substantially stops the illegal inflow of aliens coming through its territory.



Trump said in the White House statement, 'If Mexico fails to act, Tariffs will remain at the high level, and companies located in Mexico may start moving back to the United States to make their products and goods. Companies that relocate to the United States will not pay the Tariffs or be affected in any way.'



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX </s> Mr Trump says the tariff will continue to rise until Mexico does more to curb illegal immigration

Donald Trump has said he will place a tariff on all imported goods from Mexico until the neighbouring nation to the US does more to combat illegal immigration.

In a tweet, the US president said a 5% tariff on Mexican imports to the US would come into effect on 10 June, and would "gradually increase" until "the illegal immigration problem is remedied".

A White House statement explained the tariffs would rise to 10% on 1 July if Mexico did not take "effective actions" to curb illegal immigration, and would reach a height of 25% by October.

The statement added: "Tariffs will permanently remain at the 25% level unless and until Mexico substantially stops the illegal inflow of aliens coming through its territory."

Mr Trump said he would enact the Emergency Economic Powers Act in order to put the tariffs in place.

But many experts have noted that the president's sudden move against Mexico - one of America's biggest trading partners - could derail approval of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), a revision of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

Senate finance committee chairman Chuck Grassley said the tariffs were a "misuse" of presidential authority, stressing that "trade policy and border security are separate issues".

He added: "I support nearly every one of President Trump's immigration policies, but this is not one of them."

The markets also responded to Mr Trump's threat, with US stock index futures dropping around 0.7% on Thursday evening, and the Mexican peso weakening by more than 2%.

Mexico responded to the announcement by calling for dialogue on the issues, and expressed a need to avoid confrontation.

In a letter posted to Twitter, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said: "Social problems are not solved with duties or coercive measures."

He maintained that his country was doing what it could to curb illegal immigration "without violating human rights".

Pointing towards the US being a nation of immigrants, he added: "The Statue of Liberty is not an empty symbol."

Mr Trump's tariffs are just the latest in a long line of moves in his bid to halt illegal immigration from Central and South American nations.

In March, the US president announced he would be halting aid to El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, and threatened to close the entirety of the US-Mexico border.

His long-held plans to build a wall along the same border were blocked by a judge earlier this month, but Mr Trump has since launched an appeal against the decision. </s> US president Donald Trump has announced he is slapping a 5 per cent tariff on all Mexican imports to pressure the country to do more to crack down on the surge of Central American migrants trying to cross the US border.

He said the percentage will gradually increase – up to 25 per cent – “until the illegal immigration problem is remedied”.

The decision showed the US administration going to new lengths to pressure Mexico to take action – even if those risk upending other policy priorities, such as the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), a trade deal that is the cornerstone of Mr Trump’s legislative agenda and beneficial to his re-election effort.

Mr Trump made the announcement by tweet after telling reporters earlier on Thursday that he was planning “a major statement” that would be his “biggest” so far on the border.

“On June 10th, the United States will impose a 5% Tariff on all goods coming into our Country from Mexico, until such time as illegal migrants coming through Mexico, and into our Country, STOP. The Tariff will gradually increase until the Illegal Immigration problem is remedied,” he wrote.

Mr Trump has accused the Mexican government of failing to do enough to halt the flow of asylum-seekers from countries including El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala.

But the sudden tariff threat comes at a peculiar time, given how hard the administration has been pushing for passage of the USMCA, which would update the North American Free Trade Agreement.

It comes less than two weeks after Mr Trump lifted import taxes on Mexican and Canadian steel and aluminium, a move that seemed to clear an obstacle to passage of his North American trade deal, and the same day that both the Mexican government and the Trump administration began the process of seeking ratification.

The deal needs approval from politicians in all three countries for it to be ratified.

Mexican president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said his foreign relations secretary will lead a delegation to seek a peaceful and negotiated solution.

Mr Lopez Obrador said late on Thursday in a public letter addressed to Mr Trump that “social problems are not solved with duties or coercive measures,” and alluded to the United States’ history as a nation of immigrants: “The Statue of Liberty is not an empty symbol.”

Mr Lopez Obrador wrote that Mexico is doing its part to avoid migration through its territory as much as possible, without violating human rights.

The Mexican leader also urged Mr Trump to “please, remember that I do not lack valour, that I am not a coward nor timorous but rather act according to principles”.

In late March, Mr Trump threatened to shut the entire US-Mexico border if Mexico did not immediately halt illegal immigration.

Just a few days later, however, he backed off the threat, saying he was pleased with steps Mexico had taken in recent days. It was unclear, however, what Mexico had changed.

Indeed, on a briefing call with reporters on Thursday evening, administration officials said there were several things Mexico could do immediately to prevent the tariffs from kicking in, including securing their southern border with Guatemala and entering into a “safe third country agreement” that would make it difficult for those who enter Mexico from other countries to claim asylum in the US.

“We’re going to judge success here by the number of people crossing the border and that number needs to start coming down immediately, in a significant and substantial number,” said acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney.

He also insisted that tariffs were “completely” separate “and apart from the USMCA” because one pertained to trade and the other immigration.

“The two are absolutely not linked,” he said.

The White House laid out an escalating schedule of tariff increases if Mr Trump’s demands are not met.

“If the illegal migration crisis is alleviated through effective actions taken by Mexico, to be determined in our sole discretion and judgment, the Tariffs will be removed,” the White House said in a statement.

Otherwise, the 5 per cent figure will increase to 10 per cent on July 1st, to 15 per cent on August 1st, to 20 per cent on September 1st and to 25per cent on October 1st, the White House said.

“Tariffs will permanently remain at the 25 per cent level unless and until Mexico substantially stops the illegal inflow of aliens coming through its territory,” the statement read. –AP </s> WASHINGTON, May 30 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump said on Thursday the United States will impose a 5% tariff on all goods coming from Mexico starting on June 10 until illegal immigration across the southern border is stopped.

“The Tariff will gradually increase until the Illegal Immigration problem is remedied, at which time the Tariffs will be removed,” Trump said on Twitter.

On June 10th, the United States will impose a 5% Tariff on all goods coming into our Country from Mexico, until such time as illegal migrants coming through Mexico, and into our Country, STOP. The Tariff will gradually increase until the Illegal Immigration problem is remedied,.. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 30, 2019

....at which time the Tariffs will be removed. Details from the White House to follow. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 30, 2019

In a statement issued by the White House, Trump said the tariff would increase to 10% on July 1, 15% on Aug. 1, 20% on Sept. 1 and to 25% on Oct. 1.

“Mexico’s passive cooperation in allowing this mass incursion constitutes an emergency and extraordinary threat to the national security and economy of the United States,” Trump said in the statement.

“Mexico has very strong immigration laws and could easily halt the illegal flow of migrants, including by returning them to their home countries,” he said. </s> In a surprise announcement that could derail a trade deal, President Donald Trump announced Thursday that he is slapping a 5% tariff on all Mexican imports, effective June 10, to pressure the country to do more to crack down on the surge of migrants trying to cross the U.S. border.

He said the percentage will gradually increase — up to 25% — “until the Illegal Immigration problem is remedied.”

The decision showed the administration going to new lengths, and looking for new levers, to pressure Mexico to take action — even if those risk upending other policy priorities, such as the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, a trade deal that is the cornerstone of Trump’s legislative agenda. It also risks further damaging the already strained relationship between the U.S. and Mexico, two countries whose economics are deeply intertwined.

Trump made the announcement via tweet after telling reporters earlier Thursday that he was planning “a major statement” that would be his “biggest” on the border.

“On June 10th, the United States will impose a 5% Tariff on all goods coming into our Country from Mexico, until such time as illegal migrants coming through Mexico, and into our Country, STOP,” he wrote. “The Tariff will gradually increase until the Illegal Immigration problem is remedied.”

Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador responded in a public letter Thursday, telling Trump that “social problems are not solved with duties or coercive measures” and alluded to the United States’ history as a nation of immigrants. “The Statue of Liberty is not an empty symbol,” he wrote. He said he was dispatching his foreign relations secretary to Washington, D.C., on Friday to try to negotiate a solution.

In his growing fury over an increase in border crossings that he has likened to an “invasion,” Trump has blamed Mexico for failing to stop the flow of asylum seekers from countries such as El Salvador and Honduras who pass through its territory.

He has been itching to take headline-grabbing action on the issue, which he sees as critical to his 2020 campaign because it energizes his base.

But the sudden tariff threat comes at a peculiar time, given how hard the administration has been pushing for passage of the USMCA, which would update the North American Free Trade Agreement.

It comes less than two weeks after Trump lifted import taxes on Mexican and Canadian steel and aluminum, a move that seemed to clear an obstacle to its passage, and the same day that both Trump and López Obrador began the process of seeking ratification. The deal needs approval from lawmakers in all three countries before it takes effect.

“The tariffs certainly put the USMCA on ice,” said Gary Hufbauer, an expert in trade law at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, who panned the move but said Trump does have the legal authority to impose tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act by citing a national emergency.

“The drama is legal, but it’s preposterous,” he said.

Daniel Ujczo, a U.S.-based international trade lawyer, said the threat would likely slow the deal’s progress in Mexico and put U.S. lawmakers who want to vote “yes” in a difficult position because companies in their districts will end up paying the tariffs.

It wouldn’t be the first time Trump has punted on an immigration threat. In late March, Trump threatened to shut the entire southern border if Mexico didn’t immediately halt illegal immigration.

RELATED: Mexican President Attacks Trump After Tariffs: ‘America First Is a Fallacy’

Just a few days later, he backed off the threat, saying he was pleased with steps Mexico had taken in recent days.

Indeed, on a briefing call with reporters Thursday night, administration officials said Mexico could prevent the tariffs from kicking in by securing their southern border with Guatemala and entering into a “safe third country agreement” that would make it difficult for those who enter Mexico from other countries to claim asylum in the U.S.

“We’re going to judge success here by the number of people crossing the border and that number needs to start coming down immediately, in a significant and substantial number,” said acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney.

He also insisted that tariffs were “completely” separate from the USMCA because one pertained to immigration and the other trade.

The threat drew a withering response from Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley, a usual Trump ally, who slammed it as “a misuse of presidential tariff authority” that would burden American consumers and “seriously jeopardize passage of USMCA.”

Mulvaney said the White House had briefed a number of Republicans on the plan and acknowledged that some — particularly in the Senate — had raised concerns about the president invoking such powers.

The threat comes at a time when Mexico has been stepping up its efforts to crack down on migrants, carrying out raids and detaining thousands of people traveling through the country en route to the U.S.

The crumbling city of Tapachula, near the Guatemalan border, has become the epicenter of the crackdowns, with thousands of migrants stranded because the Mexican government isn’t providing them visas to travel. In addition, the Mexican government has allowed the U.S. to send back hundreds of asylum seekers from Central America and other countries, forcing the people to wait out their cases in Mexico.

But that hasn’t satisfied Trump, whose administration laid out an escalating schedule of tariff increases if his demands are not met: 10% on July 1, 15% on Aug. 1, 20% on Sept. 1 and 25% on Oct. 1.

After that, the White House said, “tariffs will permanently remain at the 25% level unless and until Mexico substantially stops the illegal inflow of aliens coming through its territory.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards. </s> Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador hit back at President Trump in a public letter, decrying his plan to impose a 5 percent tariff on Mexican imports because of the administration’s border migrant crisis. “With all due respect, although you have the right to express it, ‘America First’ is a fallacy because until the end of times, even beyond national borders, justice and universal fraternity will prevail,” López Obrador wrote in a letter released late Thursday. The Mexican president said his foreign minister would be in Washington, D.C., on Friday to negotiate with U.S. officials. On Thursday, Trump tweeted that on June 10 the U.S. “will impose a 5% Tariff on all goods coming into our Country from Mexico, until such time as illegal migrants coming through Mexico, and into our Country, STOP.” “The Tariff will gradually increase until the Illegal Immigration problem is remedied,” the president added. White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney told reporters that the tariffs would be raised to 10 percent in July, 15 percent in August, 20 percent in September, and 25 percent in October. </s> President Donald Trump has said he is slapping a 5% tariff on all Mexican imports to pressure the country to do more to crack down on the surge of Central American migrants trying to cross the US border.

The tariff is effective from June 10.

The president said the percentage will gradually increase “until the Illegal Immigration problem is remedied”.

Mr Trump made the announcement by tweet after telling reporters earlier on Thursday that he was planning “a major statement” that would be his “biggest” so far on the border.

Mr Trump has accused the Mexican government of failing to do enough to crack down on the surge of Central American migrants who have been flowing to the US in search of asylum from countries including El Salvador, Honduras and Gautama.

It is unclear how this will impact the new United States-Mexico-Canada trade deal. </s> Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Five numbers that explain US border crisis

US President Donald Trump has announced tariffs on all goods coming from Mexico, demanding the country curb illegal immigration into the US.

In a tweet, Mr Trump said that from 10 June a 5% tariff would be imposed and would slowly rise "until the illegal immigration problem is remedied".

Jesús Seade, Mexico's top diplomat for North America, said the proposed tariffs would be "disastrous".

Mr Trump declared a national emergency at the US-Mexico border in February.

He said it was necessary in order to tackle what he claimed was a crisis at the US southern border.

Border agents say they are overwhelmed, but critics say they are mishandling and mistreating migrants.

On Thursday, US border authorities in El Paso, Texas, said a group of more than 1,000 migrants were detained on Wednesday - the largest single group agents had encountered.

Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption CCTV captures the moment hundreds of migrants cross into the US

Robert Perez, customs and border protection deputy commissioner, said the apprehension "demonstrates the severity of the border security and humanitarian crisis at our south-west border".

The US president has long accused Mexico of not doing enough to stem the flow of people, and this is his latest attempt to put pressure on the neighbouring state.

Image copyright AFP Image caption The migrants caught on Wednesday came from Guatemala, Honduras or El Salvador and included entire families, agents said

Mr Seade said Mexico "must respond vigorously" if the tariffs - a tax on products made abroad - were brought in.

However, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador responded by saying he did not want "confrontation".

"I propose deepening our dialogue, to look for other alternatives to the migration problem," he wrote in a letter on Thursday.

During his election campaign and throughout his time in office, President Trump has sought funds to build a wall on the US-Mexico border.

He declared the national emergency at the border in an attempt to divert federal funds for a barrier wall, but a judge blocked his efforts in May.

The White House said on Thursday that the president would use the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to implement the new tariffs on Mexico.

The announcement came the same day that the White House told Congress it planned to pursue a new trade deal with Mexico and Canada.

What did Donald Trump announce?

In a White House statement, Mr Trump said the tariffs would rise by five percentage points each month until 1 October, when the rate would reach 25%.

The tariffs would stay at that level "unless and until Mexico substantially stops the illegal inflow of aliens coming through its territory", he said.

"For years, Mexico has not treated us fairly - but we are now asserting our rights as a sovereign nation," the statement said.

The president also took aim at his Democratic opponents, accusing them of a "total dereliction of duty" over border security.

The Democratic-controlled House of Representatives is taking legal action to halt the Trump administration's efforts to build a border wall, saying it would be a waste of funds and would not stop illegal immigration.

Amid record numbers of migrants crossing the border, the deaths of six sick children in US custody since September have raised questions about the level of care provided by US authorities.

The ramifications of Trump's latest trade war

Andrew Walker, BBC economics correspondent

President Trump's latest tariff proposal is driven by a political issue - which is not to say that previous tariff moves did not have any politics behind them. But it is sure to have financial and economic consequences.

Stock markets in many countries have already registered significant falls. Japanese car makers were among those hit - they have operations in Mexico which will be affected if President Trump does go ahead.

Perhaps he hoped that a welcome side effect would be improved competitiveness for American industry.

Well, half the potential impact for the first stage in the proposed tariffs hikes was wiped immediately by a decline in the value of the Mexican peso, which has the effect of making Mexico a little more competitive, at least until the tariffs come into effect.

There could also be ramifications for the new trade deal between the US, Mexico and Canada. It will probably make the Mexican Congress a lot more wary about approving the accord.

What has Mexico done to tackle migration?

Migrants, most of whom say they are fleeing violence in Central American countries, travel through Mexico on their way to the US, where they hope to claim asylum.

Mr Trump believes they should be stopped long before they reach the border, however.

Police do appear to have been cracking down, with 400 migrants detained in the southern state of Chiapas in April.

President López Obrador used the arrests to emphasise the country was not giving migrants "free passage".

However, he added that it was out of concern for the migrants' safety over anything else.

What will the tariffs affect?

Mexico was the second largest supplier of goods to the US last year, with imports totalling $352bn (£275bn), according to Goldman Sachs.

It is known for agricultural products like avocados and tequila, but the country is also a major manufacturing hub and home to many US companies.

The country produces hundreds of thousands of cars every month, and is also home to technology and aerospace companies. It is one of the G20 economies.

US firms Ford, General Motors, John Deere, IBM and Coca-Cola all operate in Mexico, as well as thousands of other multinationals.

The president's statement comes amid a trade war with China.

After complaining for years about the US trade deficit with China, Mr Trump imposed tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars worth of goods coming from the country. </s> WASHINGTON, May 30 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump said on Thursday the United States will impose a 5% tariff on all goods coming from Mexico starting on June 10 until illegal immigration across the southern border is stopped.

"The Tariff will gradually increase until the Illegal Immigration problem is remedied, at which time the Tariffs will be removed," Trump said on Twitter.

In a statement issued by the White House, Trump said the tariff would increase to 10% on July 1, 15% on Aug. 1, 20% on Sept. 1 and to 25% on Oct. 1.

"Mexico´s passive cooperation in allowing this mass incursion constitutes an emergency and extraordinary threat to the national security and economy of the United States," Trump said in the statement.

"Mexico has very strong immigration laws and could easily halt the illegal flow of migrants, including by returning them to their home countries," he said.
U.S. President Donald Trump announces a 5% import tariff on all products from Mexico, effective June 10 and rising in steps to 25% by October, "until the illegal immigration problem is remedied".