The U.S. and Mexico failed to reach an agreement on immigration issues after a two-hour meeting at the White House on Wednesday, prolonging the possibility that President Donald Trump will implement tariffs on Mexican imports.
Officials from both sides are equally alarmed by the rate migrants from Central America and elsewhere have arrived to the U.S. border this year, Mexican Foreign Relations Secretary Marcelo Ebrard said after the meeting. Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo were part of the talks.
Ebrard, however, said he’s optimistic about the talks continuing Thursday.
“We have the opportunity to share our point of view, explain why the Mexican position is regarding this issue,” Ebrard said in a news conference.
Wednesday’s talks focused on immigration and did not include trade.
Trump has said he would slap a five percent tariff on all Mexican imports beginning Monday if Mexico doesn’t do enough to stop migrants from reaching the U.S. The administration has not publicly specified what that would entail.
