The Latin American Report # 463

U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance visited the border with Mexico on Wednesday, specifically in the Eagle Pass sector in Texas. Vance was flanked by state authorities, who, with the conservative Greg Abbott at the head, tested and implemented a tough and controversial approach to immigration before Trump's return to the White House. “Border security is national security,” declared the Texas Secretary of Defense. This red-tinged state demarcation came into conflict with the Biden administration over measures such as the placement of razor wire and huge floating buoys in the Rio Grande to hinder the passage of migrants. However, this was a more visible battle when Democrats had not tightened controls on asylum. In the same migratory domain, there are also lawsuits in the courts over Texas legislation that probably crosses the borders of competencies that exclusively concern federal authorities and over the de facto expropriation of Shelby Park, once a hot zone of illegal crossings where not a few migrants lost their lives.

The number of migrant apprehensions by the Border Patrol continues to plummet, and, indeed, a painful process of reverse migration has begun. Venezuelans have fundamentally undertaken the return trip home. They are fleeing from harsh Republican diatribes and potential, shameful deportation. “When we find the bad guy (in a raid against illegal immigrants), many times they are with others, others who are not a criminal priority, but who were in the country illegally,” the so-called border czar said Tuesday. “We detain them, too". After portraying the immigration crisis as an “invasion,” the 47th president has recently declared that the latter has been quelled. This is to the good of Mexico and Canada because that “invasion” was one of the arguments employed by the Republican leader to defend his tariff policy, which went into effect for these countries last Tuesday. The other, still active, is related to drug trafficking, particularly fentanyl. This Wednesday, Mexican authorities announced the seizure of 275,000 fentanyl pills valued at more than $6 million.

President Trump grants an exemption for autos from tariffs on Mexico and Canada for one month https://t.co/VqhYWSAUpH

— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) March 5, 2025

However, from Pennsylvania Avenue, they relaxed the application of the tariffs yesterday, apparently in response to the demands of the automotive sector. In truth, I am inclined to think that Trump knows from the very first moment that he will not take this game very far, but he likes to see the deterrent and mobilizing effect of American power. However, reactions continue to come out, projecting a difficult outlook for certain sectors in the United States—for both exporters and importers—if the tariff policy takes hold. “There is no domestic market for the amount of corn, soybeans, wheat and other agricultural products that we now export in significant quantities,” said a University of Illinois professor. “Right now is not a propitious time to receive new work orders, and this does not encourage investment by undermining certainty. In addition, in the medium and long term, we will be seeing the destruction of jobs and companies that may leave the country”, say the National Chamber of the Transformation Industry in Tijuana, the largest city in the porous and extensive border between Mexico and the United States. The National Chamber of Freight Transportation warns that all the talk about tariffs has resulted in a demand deficit that has affected some 200,000 tractor-trailers.

Claudia Sheinbaum says there will be no submission. If tariffs remain, she says she will make important decisions for the future of the country and will look for other trade partners if necessary. This Thursday, there may be a conversation with Trump seeking to defuse the tension. Sunday is the deadline set by Sheinbaum to achieve something, at least temporarily, with Trump.