In late May 2019, the Trump administration announced the imposition of a five percent tariff on all goods imported from Mexico, which would continue to increase to a maximum of 25 percent, as long as Mexico continued to allow thousands of Central Americans and other migrants to illegally enter the U.S. by stopping the flow of immigrants at its southern border with Guatemala. The White House memo stated that the U.S. would begin imposing the tariff as of June 10, 2019, despite objections from some GOP senators who unequivocally stated that they were poised to block any efforts by the president to impose the proposed tariffs.
By the time June 10, 2019 arrived, however, the White House claimed victory over Mexico as a result of its threats to impose a tariff by securing an agreement that Mexico more “vigorous” cooperation in stopping Central American immigrants from traveling across Mexico and seeking asylum in the U.S. This White House press release was accompanied by various soundbites from media praising his “historic deal” with Mexico.
Later reports clarified that the “new” agreements between Mexico and the U.S. were not as historic or new as the Trump administration made them out to be. For instance, while Mexican officials may have accelerated the timeline for deploying its new National Guard to the country’s southern border, it already had agreed to do so prior to the tariff threats. Likewise, expansion of a program to keep asylum-seekers in Mexico while the U.S. processes their applications had been in the works for months. At Peek Law Group, we care about helping you through your immigration problems. We will focus our efforts on advocating on your behalf and representing your interests throughout the immigration process. Our knowledgeable immigration lawyers know the best strategies for gathering documentation to support your goals. Allow us to handle your immigration case by sitting down with us today and discussing your situation.