12/13/2018

BORDER/IMMIGRATION/MEXICO/TRADE DEALS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/WALL: “President Trump has been vague on how Mexico would pay for his border wall and has suggested various ways this could happen — including imposing fees on visas and border crossings from Mexico or paying through ‘reimbursement.’ On Tuesday [12-11-18], he demanded the money from congressional appropriations. Then, on Thursday [12-13-18] morning, he said Mexico ‘is paying for the wall’ through the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. The new trade deal does not stipulate that Mexico pay for Mr. Trump’s border wall, nor do any of the provisions in the trade deal divert Mexican funds to finance the wall. The pact simply updated the North American Free Trade Agreement, which allows Mexico, Canada and the United States to trade goods and services with zero tariffs. Mr. Trump signed the U.S.M.C.A. in November, and it awaits ratification by Congress. There are no official projections of the deal’s effects on tax revenue or economic growth, but experts expressed doubt that the trade agreement could lead to Mexico directly or indirectly paying for the wall.”

Linda Qiu, “Trump’s Baseless Claim That Mexico Will Pay for the Wall Through the New Nafta,” The New York Times online, December 13, 2018