US reaches signed agreement with Mexico, tariff plan suspended
Christian Frausto Bernal | Flickr http://bit.ly/2nbHQQp
WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump announced on Twitter that an agreement has been reached with Mexico Friday night.
Trump wrote that the proposed tariffs "are indefinitely suspended" due to a plan by Mexico to "reduce or eliminate" illegal immigration from both its northern and souther borders, into the United States.
He wrote:
"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 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!"
During negotiations in Washington, Mexican officials have agreed to deploy 6,000 National Guard troops to the Mexican border with Guatemala to help control the flow of migrants. However, one of the main U.S. demands - that Mexico agree to becoming a “safe third country” for asylum seekers - remained a key topic during Friday’s talks, those monitoring the situation said. Mexico has resisted that demand, which would make it difficult for those who enter Mexico from other countries to claim asylum in the U.S.
The Department of Homeland Security said this week that U.S. apprehensions of migrants illegally crossing the border in May hit the highest level in more than a decade: 132,887.
-The Associated Press contributed to this report