In a response to Donald Trump’s threats of a 5 per cent import tax on all Mexican goods if illegal migration is not lessened, Mexico has deployed troops to the Guatemala border.
With an influx of Central American migrants flowing into America seeking asylum, the Trump administration is in talks with Mexico’s foreign minister, Marcelo Ebrard.
Mr Ebrard noted his optimism after Thursday’s talks and said: “We have explained that there are 6,000 men and that they will be deployed there.”
In an attempt to dodge the tariffs, the Mexican government has deployed 6,000 soldiers to the Mexico-Guatemala border in an attempt to quell the influx of asylum seekers to the US.
The import tax is set to take effect this coming Monday after Mr Trump said “not nearly enough” progress was being made on the immigration front, the BBC reported.
Under Mr Trump’s plan, which he announced via Twitter, import tax would rise by five per cent each month on products including beer, cars, tequila, and foods.
The Trump plan aims to combat illegal migration through financially incentivising Mexico to reduce the amount of Central American migrants that are crossing through the state to reach the US.
In May, migrants arrested crossing the US-Mexico border reached the highest point in a decade. Border Patrol apprehended 132,887 migrants, 84,542 of which were families and 11,507 unaccompanied children.
Talks between Mr Ebrard and the Trump Administration are continuing.
