“Position has not changed, and we are still moving forward with tariffs at this time,” White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a statement after Bloomberg reported earlier that the White House was considering delaying the tariffs.
A high-level Mexican delegation led by Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard is in Washington this week to hold talks with US officials to discuss the tariffs and immigration.
“Options are still being explored to address the growing number of undocumented migrants crossing through Mexico. The US stance is centered on immigration control measures, while our focus is on development,” the embassy of Mexico in the United States tweeted on Thursday afternoon.
“We have not yet reached an agreement but continue to negotiate,” said the Mexican embassy.
Ebrard said Thursday evening that another round of discussions would take place on Friday in Washington to head off the tariffs, according to Bloomberg.
“So tomorrow morning we are going to work in, maybe, one of the last sessions in order to make an effort to have an agreement,” Ebrard was quoted as saying.
Trump said last week that he would impose a 5-percent tariff on all imported Mexican goods beginning June 10 so as to pressure the country to stop the flow of undocumented migrants crossing the border, and will gradually increase tariffs until the problem is remedied, drawing extensive criticism both domestically and abroad.
“The president’s proposed tariffs would hurt American workers, businesses, and consumers. Commandeering US trade policy to influence border security is an abuse of power,” House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal said Thursday in a statement.
“If the President does declare a national emergency and attempt to put these tariffs into place, I will introduce a resolution of disapproval to stop his overreach,” Neal said.
