Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum addressed reporters on Thursday, explicitly stating that no migrant caravans have successfully reached the U.S. border since President Donald Trump returned to office in January 2025. Her comments served as a direct response to recent threats from the U.S. president, who has vowed to double tariffs on Mexican goods unless the country halts the movement of migrants through its territory.
During her daily press briefing, Sheinbaum emphasized that "not a single migrant caravan has reached the north" since the start of the year. Addressing the status of ongoing groups, the president noted that a caravan of approximately 600 migrants previously moving through the southern state of Chiapas had largely dispersed. She explained that these individuals were informed that attempting to reach the United States would be "very difficult." Furthermore, Mexican officials are currently in discussions with a separate group of several hundred Honduran migrants, actively encouraging them to return to their home country.
When questioned about the potential use of force to dissolve such groups, Sheinbaum dismissed the idea. She stated that authorities possess "extensive experience" in accompanying migrants and providing them with information regarding the low probability of successfully entering the United States, rather than resorting to physical intervention.
These diplomatic tensions occur against the backdrop of an ongoing review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which commenced in July. Mexico is currently advocating for significant reductions in existing tariffs, including the 10% levy on goods not covered by the trade agreement and the 25% duty currently applied to medium- and heavy-duty trucks. Additionally, the negotiations encompass discussions regarding a 50% tariff on steel and aluminum, as well as a 17% countervailing duty placed on Mexican tomatoes.
