Trump Threatens Mexican Government with Border Shutdown
President Donald Trump threatened to close the southern border, or large portions of it, next week unless Mexico takes action to stop the flow of illegal crossings into the United States.
During a rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on Thursday night, Trump told the crowd that two additional caravans are moving toward the border.
“Mexico could stop them so easy, and you know what, if they don’t it’s going to cost them a hell of a lot of money,” he said. “And it they don’t, and I’m telling you right now, we will close the damn border!”
In a new tweet today, President Trump reiterated these comments from a rally in Michigan last night during which he said:
“Mexico could stop (migrant caravans) so easy … and if they don’t, and I’m telling you right now … we will close the damn border!” pic.twitter.com/SvznBiDDD4
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) March 29, 2019
The president reiterated his threat in a series of tweets Friday, promising to take action next week if Mexico fails to address the problem.
“The DEMOCRATS have given us the weakest immigration laws anywhere in the World. Mexico has the strongest, & they make more than $100 Billion a year on the U.S,” Trump wrote. “Therefore, CONGRESS MUST CHANGE OUR WEAK IMMIGRATION LAWS NOW, & Mexico must stop illegals from entering the U.S. through their country and our Southern Border.”
The DEMOCRATS have given us the weakest immigration laws anywhere in the World. Mexico has the strongest, & they make more than $100 Billion a year on the U.S. Therefore, CONGRESS MUST CHANGE OUR WEAK IMMIGRATION LAWS NOW, & Mexico must stop illegals from entering the U.S….
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 29, 2019
“Mexico has for many years made a fortune off of the U.S., far greater than Border Costs,” he added. “If Mexico doesn’t immediately stop ALL illegal immigration coming into the United States through our Southern Border, I will be CLOSING the Border, or large sections of the Border, next week.”
….the Border, or large sections of the Border, next week. This would be so easy for Mexico to do, but they just take our money and “talk.” Besides, we lose so much money with them, especially when you add in drug trafficking etc.), that the Border closing would be a good thing!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 29, 2019
Trump concluded, “This would be so easy for Mexico to do, but they just take our money and ‘talk.’ Besides, we lose so much money with them, especially when you add in drug trafficking etc.), that the Border closing would be a good thing!”
The president’s pronouncement comes following Customs and Border Patrol Commissioner Kevin McAleenan stating at a news conference in El Paso, Texas, on Wednesday, the situation at the border had reached a “breaking point.”
“CBP is facing an unprecedented humanitarian and border security crisis all along our southwest border,” he said. “We are now on pace for over 100,000 apprehensions and encounters with migrants in March.”
The commissioner noted of those, 55,000 are part of family units, making it a bigger challenge for CBP to house and care for the migrants.
McAleenan lamented that for the first time in more than a decade, border patrol officers are going to have to directly release migrants into the U.S. on a large scale, where they will, in theory, await their court dates.
He said the current situation compromises the security posture of the nation, as the same cartels overwhelming CBP by smuggling migrants are taking advantage of the crisis to move illegal drugs across the border.
Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen echoed McAleenan’s sentiments in a letter to members of Congress, containing an “urgent request” for additional resources and authority to address the border crisis.
“DHS facilities are overflowing, agents and officers are stretched too thin, and the magnitude of arriving and detained aliens has increased the risk of life-threatening incidents,” Nielsen wrote, citing increased numbers of migrants arriving in large groups at the border.
She recounted that late last year, DHS was apprehending 50,000 to 60,000 migrants per month, but that number surged to 75,000 in February (the highest in a decade), and now is on track to be nearly 100,000 in March.
Nielsen requested resources to acquire more temporary housing facilities, as well as the authority to return unaccompanied minors to their countries of origin.
She related that CBP and Immigration and Customs Enforcement will need “at least hundreds of additional personnel” for humanitarian assistance, including medical care and meal preparation.
“Without additional assistance, we will be forced to increase the releases of single-adult population from ICE — the only population for which we can currently enforce immigration laws,” Nielsen wrote. “As such, we are witnessing the real-time dissolution of the immigration system.”
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