I like how it goes up 5% every month until it’s 25%
where it stays until things are all better.
Statement from the President Regarding Emergency Measures
to Address the Border Crisis
As everyone knows, the United States of America has been
invaded by hundreds of thousands of people coming through
Mexico and entering our country illegally. This sustained
influx of illegal aliens has profound consequences on every
aspect of our national life—overwhelming our schools,
overcrowding our hospitals, draining our welfare system, and
causing untold amounts of crime. Gang members, smugglers,
human traffickers, and illegal drugs and narcotics of all
kinds are pouring across the Southern Border and directly
into our communities. Thousands of innocent lives are taken
every year as a result of this lawless chaos. It must end
NOW!
Mexico’s passive cooperation in allowing this mass incursion
constitutes an emergency and extraordinary threat to the
national security and economy of the United States. Mexico
has very strong immigration laws and could easily halt the
illegal flow of migrants, including by returning them to
their home countries. Additionally, Mexico could quickly
and easily stop illegal aliens from coming through its
southern border with Guatemala.
For decades, the United States has suffered the severe and
dangerous consequences of illegal immigration. Sadly,
Mexico has allowed this situation to go on for many years,
growing only worse with the passage of time. From a safety,
national security, military, economic, and humanitarian
standpoint, we cannot allow this grave disaster to continue.
The current state of affairs is profoundly unfair to the
American taxpayer, who bears the extraordinary financial
cost imposed by large-scale illegal migration. Even worse
is the terrible and preventable loss of human life. Some of
the most deadly and vicious gangs on the planet operate just
across our border and terrorize innocent communities.
Mexico must step up and help solve this problem. We welcome
people who come to the United States legally, but we cannot
allow our laws to be broken and our borders to be violated.
For years, Mexico has not treated us fairly—but we are now
asserting our rights as a sovereign Nation.
To address the emergency at the Southern Border, I am
invoking the authorities granted to me by the International
Emergency Economic Powers Act. Accordingly, starting on
June 10, 2019, the United States will impose a 5 percent
Tariff on all goods imported from Mexico. If the illegal
migration crisis is alleviated through effective actions
taken by Mexico, to be determined in our sole discretion and
judgment, the Tariffs will be removed. If the crisis
persists, however, the Tariffs will be raised to 10 percent
on July 1, 2019. Similarly, if Mexico still has not taken
action to dramatically reduce or eliminate the number of
illegal aliens crossing its territory into the United
States, Tariffs will be increased to 15 percent on August 1,
2019, to 20 percent on September 1, 2019, and to 25 percent
on October 1, 2019. Tariffs will permanently remain at the
25 percent level unless and until Mexico substantially stops
the illegal inflow of aliens coming through its territory.
Workers who come to our country through the legal admissions
process, including those working on farms, ranches, and in
other businesses, will be allowed easy passage.
If Mexico fails to act, Tariffs will remain at the high
level, and companies located in Mexico may start moving back
to the United States to make their products and goods.
Companies that relocate to the United States will not pay
the Tariffs or be affected in any way.
Over the years, Mexico has made massive amounts of money in
its dealings with the United States, and this includes the
tremendous number of jobs leaving our country.
Should Mexico choose not to cooperate on reducing unlawful
migration, the sustained imposition of Tariffs will produce
a massive return of jobs back to American cities and towns.
Remember, our great country has been the “piggy bank” from
which everybody wants only to TAKE. The difference is that
now we are firmly and forcefully standing up for America’s
interests.
We have confidence that Mexico can and will act swiftly to
help the United States stop this long-term, dangerous, and
deeply unfair problem. The United States has been very good
to Mexico for many years. We are now asking that Mexico
immediately do its fair share to stop the use of its
territory as a conduit for illegal immigration into our
country.
The cartels and coyotes are having a greater and greater
impact on the Mexican side of our Southern Border. This is
a dire threat that must be decisively eliminated. Billions
of dollars are made, and countless lives are ruined, by
these ruthless and merciless criminal organizations. Mexico
must bring law and order to its side of the border.
Democrats in Congress are fully aware of this horrible
situation and yet refuse to help in any way, shape, or form.
This is a total dereliction of duty. The migrant crisis is
a calamity that must now be solved—and can easily be solved—
in Congress. Our broken asylum laws, court system, catch-
and-release, visa lottery, chain migration, and many other
loopholes can all be promptly corrected. When that happens,
the measures being announced today can be more readily
reduced or removed.
The United States is a great country that can no longer be
exploited due to its foolish and irresponsible immigration
laws. For the sake of our people, and for the sake of our
future, these horrendous laws must be changed now.
At the same time, Mexico cannot allow hundreds of thousands
of people to pour over its land and into our country
—violating the sovereign territory of the United States. If
Mexico does not take decisive measures, it will come at a
significant price.
We therefore look forward to, and appreciate, the swift and
effective actions that we hope Mexico will immediately
install.
As President of the United States, my highest duty is the
defense of the country and its citizens. A nation without
borders is not a nation at all. I will not stand by and
allow our sovereignty to be eroded, our laws to be trampled,
or our borders to be disrespected anymore.
Try twenty to thirty million wetbacks since 1970...