Washington will impose a five percent tariff on all goods from Mexico starting June 10, a measure that will last until "illegal migrants" stop coming through the country into the US, President Donald Trump said Thursday.
"On June 10th, the United States will impose a 5% Tariff on all goods coming into our Country from Mexico, until such time as illegal migrants coming through Mexico, and into our Country, STOP," Trump tweeted.
"The Tariff will gradually increase until the Illegal Immigration problem is remedied, at which time the Tariffs will be removed," he wrote.
Trump's announcement came a day after border agents in El Paso, Texas detained the largest single group of migrants ever encountered by Border Patrol Agents -- 1,036 people.
The group crossed the Rio Grande River from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico in the early morning hours of Wednesday, illustrating the mounting problem that Trump's administration has been unable to get under control.
The number of migrants apprehended has topped 100,000 a month in recent months.
They are mostly people fleeing poverty and violence in Central America to ask for asylum once they arrive on US soil.
"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," the White House said in a statement.
"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."
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world
