Tariff threat and timing
President Donald Trump said he would immediately double tariffs on Mexico if the country does not stop migrant caravans moving toward the United States, according to a Thursday post on Truth Social reported by Supply Chain Dive.
Trump wrote that large caravans were forming and marching through Mexico and that Mexico must stop them now. He did not give further details on the potential hike, including how duties would be applied.
He tied the caravan issue to last week’s midterm results, writing that an “invasion” was happening again after perceived Republican losses. With a Democrat-led Congress, the administration’s tariff approach could face pushback.
Mexico’s response at the border
At a Thursday morning press conference, Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum said no migrant caravans have reached the U.S. border during the current Trump administration and that Mexico plays an active role in that outcome.
She acknowledged two caravans have formed recently. One began with roughly 500 or 600 people and has since fallen to 100 or fewer. She credited Mexican representatives for informing migrants about the difficulty of crossing into the U.S., which she said leads many to abandon the attempt.
She said most people return to their countries of origin once they understand they will not be able to cross into the United States from Mexico, and that others may stay in Mexico under defined conditions.
Congress, industry, and USMCA talks
Legislation in play could reshape tariff authority. Supply Chain Dive noted progress on Senate bills S. 5390 and S. 1272 and House bill H.R. 7557, which could restrict the president’s power to impose tariffs.
Industry voices have weighed in after the midterms. The Alliance for American Manufacturing reported that trade enforcement has been positive for domestic aluminum, steel, glass, and solar infrastructure. Alliance President Scott Paul said rolling back Trump’s enforcement measures “simply because of who advanced them” would be a serious mistake.
The U.S. and Mexico continue negotiating trade terms under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement review. Mexico currently faces a 10% tariff following a U.S. forced-labor probe launched in March. In March the U.S. also opened a probe on manufacturing production and capacity policies in several countries, including Mexico.
