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Mexico, US come to migrant agreement to avoid tariffs

Mexico City, Mexico — The US and Mexico have reached an agreement that will see the suspension of tariffs on Mexican products.

The Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Marcelo Ebrard, said that Mexico and the US will work together to achieve a solution to migration. “Mexico and the United States met this week to face challenges in migration taking into account the increase of migrants to the United States. Mexico will increase its effort to reduce illegal migration,” he said at a press conference.

The Secretary of Foreign Affairs added that Mexico will deploy National Guard troops throughout the country, giving priority to the southern border and thus, contain irregular immigration. The announcement came after 12 hours of negotiations in Washington Friday.

When announcing details of the agreement, Ebrard indicated that migrants who cross the southern border of the United States will be returned without delay to Mexico, and in the cases of those requesting asylum, they will be able to wait in Mexico for the answer.

The Mexico-US agreement stipulates that if measures are not successful, a period of 90 days will be given to again analyze and take additional actions. He added that Mexico and the United States will lead a joint effort with national and international partners to build a prosperous and safe Central America and address the underlying causes of migration.

He insisted that all Central Americans who enter Mexico in order to reach the United States will have to register with the National Institute of Migration (INM) to obtain status and avoid being anonymous travelers.

He also stressed that the United States ratified the agreement signed December 18, in which they pledged to provide funds for productive projects that serve migrants. Mexico has requested the US accelerate the delivery of those funds since to date, there is only record of the start of a program in El Salvador.