Mexico to maintain policies aimed at stopping migrants after Trump’s victory

Mexico intends to continue pursuing strategies to prevent migrants from reaching its northern border with the United States, its top ambassador stated.

This is coming after Donald Trump won the presidential election and promised a new crackdown on illegal immigration.

Foreign Minister Juan Ramon de la Fuente emphasised that Mexico’s methodology is effective and would continue to be used, citing data showing a 76% decrease in the number of migrants apprehended by US officials at the border since last December.

At the same conference, President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed that she had spoken to Trump about the border in their first telephone call a day earlier while also pointing to the sharp fall in migrant crossings.

Trump, like in his previous tenure, has threatened to impose 25% tariffs on all Mexican exports unless the Mexican government stops migrants and drugs from crossing the shared border.

Mexico is extremely reliant on the United States market, which receives over 80% of its exports.

Since the beginning of the year, Mexico has quietly conducted a crackdown on migrants seeking passage into the United States, including a burgeoning operation to bus and fly non-Mexican migrants further south.

The crackdown followed pressure from the outgoing Biden administration and contrasts strongly with the Mexican government’s proclaimed humanitarian intentions, which aim to respect migrants’ human rights while promoting job opportunities for those who choose to stay in Mexico.

Sheinbaum underlined the humanitarian aspect saying “What we are looking for is not only the containment of migration in the south, but also that there can be employment.”

She also stressed the importance of addressing the core causes of migration.