Mexican Officials Hope for Diplomatic Resolution to Trump's Migration Concerns
President Donald Trump tweeted over the weekend, "Mexico is sending a big delegation to talk about the Border. Problem is, they’ve been 'talking' for 25 years. We want action, not talk. They could solve the Border Crisis in one day if they so desired. Otherwise, our companies and jobs are coming back to the USA!"
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That big delegation -- Mexico's chief NAFTA negotiator, the Economy secretary, the foreign minister and the Agriculture secretary -- spoke with reporters at 7:30 a.m. June 3, before they meet with their counterparts over the next three days.
Nearly all of those presenting themselves for asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border are from Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras, and in an earlier moment of fury, Trump cut off aid to those three countries. Mexican Ambassador to the U.S. Martha Barcena said at the press conference, "Imposing tariffs and canceling aid programs to Central America could have a counterproductive effect and would not reduce migration flows. Tariffs could cause financial and economic instability and Mexico could reduce its capacity to address migration flows."
Mexico's Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard said he didn't want to talk about what more Mexico could do to reduce Central American migration until he talks to Department of Homeland Security Acting Secretary Kevin McAleenan about exactly what he's proposing Mexico should do.
But Ebrard said one thing Mexico has already decided is unacceptable -- agreeing to a "safe third country" standard for asylum seeking. That would mean that all the Central Americans would have to seek asylum in Mexico, and the U.S. would have no obligation to offer them asylum.
Mexico has returned 80,537 migrants, mostly to Northern Central American countries, and has arrested 400 smugglers from December to May, the Mexican officials said. Because the U.S. decided to force some migrants to wait in Mexico in the months before they can receive an asylum hearing, Mexico is holding 8,835 individuals near the U.S. Moreover, there are about 18,778 people waiting in Mexico near U.S. ports of entry because the U.S. decided to institute metering, reducing the numbers who can cross legally and ask for asylum.
These efforts have "an important financial cost," Barcena said. There have also been 24,451 people who have asked for asylum in Mexico this year, which is unprecedented, she said.
"Without these efforts, the flows of migrants arriving at the U.S. border could be much larger," she said, and estimated that an additional 250,000 migrants could arrive at the U.S. border if Mexico ended its cooperation.
The ultimate goal is to increase the economic well-being of Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras, she said, adding, "Mexico believes only this would resolve the root cause."
Ebrard agreed, saying, "If there are only punitive actions, it's not going to work. It's not working."
The officials declined to identify Mexico's plan for retaliatory tariffs if tariffs begin next week at 5 percent. They said they are confident they'd avoid tariffs through diplomacy, and that tariffs could hurt Mexican employees, and they don't want to do that.
"We are specialists in diplomacy with the United States," with 200 years of experience, Ebrard said in Spanish.