Mexico agrees to take more migrants seeking US asylum as their cases are assessed, and will send troops to its southern border.
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| President Trump and wife Melania arrive at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland on Friday |
Donald Trump has called off his threat to impose tariffs on Mexican imports, as Mexico pledges to clamp down on migration to the US.
The American president said the tariffs, which were due to be introduced on Monday, would be "suspended indefinitely".I am pleased to inform you that The United States of America has reached a signed agreement with Mexico. The Tariffs scheduled to be implemented by the U.S. on Monday, against Mexico, are hereby indefinitely suspended. Mexico, in turn, has agreed to take strong measures to....— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 8, 2019
In a joint declaration outlining details of their deal, the two countries said Mexico agreed to take "unprecedented steps" to curb irregular migration and take decisive action to dismantle smuggling and human trafficking.
The announcement came after three days of Mexico-US negotiations in Washington.....stem the tide of Migration through Mexico, and to our Southern Border. This is being done to greatly reduce, or eliminate, Illegal Immigration coming from Mexico and into the United States. Details of the agreement will be released shortly by the State Department. Thank you!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 8, 2019
Mr Trump had threatened to implement duties of 5% on goods over illegal immigration at the US southern border if Mexico did not agree to his demands to tighten borders.
But after returning to the US on Friday from Europe, he tweeted: "I am pleased to inform you that The United States of America has reached a signed agreement with Mexico. The tariffs scheduled to be implemented by the US on Monday, against Mexico, are hereby indefinitely suspended."
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| Migrants use a makeshift raft to cross the Suchiate river from El Carmen in Guatemala to Talisman in Chiapas State, Mexico |
The US said it "will immediately expand the implementation" of a programme that returns asylum seekers, who cross the southern border, to Mexico while their claims are assessed.
Mexico will "offer jobs, healthcare and education" to those people.
Mexico has also agreed to deploy its national guard throughout the country, especially on its southern border with Guatemala, to cut the number of Central American migrants, including in groups of so-called 'caravans', trying to get into the US.
President Trump said that Mexico has agreed to work to "stem the tide of migration through Mexico, and to our southern border".
He added that those steps would "greatly reduce, or eliminate, illegal immigration coming from Mexico and into the United States".
The US and Mexico will continue discussions on illegal immigration and if the measures in the agreement "do not have the expected results, they will take further actions" and announce them within 90 days.
Last month, US border officers apprehended more than 132,000 people crossing from Mexico - making it the highest monthly level since 2006.
Describing it as an "invasion", Mr Trump had threatened to impose levies rising to 25% unless Mexico addressed the problem.
The president had been under intense pressure from business leaders and members of his own party to suspend the tariffs, with economists warning of an increase in prices on thousands of goods imported from Mexico.
Mexico made concessions during the talks and offered to send 6,000 troops to its southern border with Guatemala.
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| The president has called off his threat to impose tariffs on Mexican goods |
However it said it wanted a long-term solution that would involve economic development aid.
Mexico had also prepared a list of potential retaliatory tariffs targeting products from agricultural and industrial states regarded as Mr Trump's electoral base.
Following Mr Trump's announcement, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo thanked Mexican foreign minister Marcelo Ebrard "for his hard work to negotiate a set of joint obligations that benefit both the United States and Mexico."
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| Mexico offered to send 6,000 troops to its southern border with Guatemala |
Imposing tariffs on Mexico would have resulted in the US fighting trade wars with two of its three largest trading partners, as well as unnerving financial markets already on edge about a global economic slowdown.
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| Mexican goods destined for the US |
Last month, the US slapped tariffs of up to 25% on $200bn (£157bn) Chinese imports which prompted Beijing to levy its own tariffs on $60bn (£47bn) in American goods.
On Thursday, Mr Trump said he would decide later this month whether to hit Beijing with tariffs on an additional list of $300bn (£235bn) in Chinese goods.
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