As President-elect Donald Trump prepares for a second term, his "zero tolerance" immigration promises—which defined his campaign—are on top of mind. This time, he plans to make Mexico a central part of his task force, threatning the country with increasing trade tariffs if it fails to mitigate migration to U.S. borders—intertwining international trade and immigration objectives in an unprecedented way.
Trump has proposed imposing tariffs as high as 100% if Mexico does not curb migration to levels he deems satisfactory. Yet, with border crossings already at record-low levels, his specific expectations remain unclear. Mexico's new president, Claudia Sheinbaum, has sought to maintain a diplomatic tone, pledging to pursue dialogue and respect. Yet, Mexico's Secretary of Economy, Marcelo Ebrard, has cautioned that Mexico could respond with retaliatory tariffs.
