Trump admin. weighs in on crisis at southern border, tariffs on Mexico

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders talks to reporters outside the White House, Friday, May 31, 2019, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

President Donald Trump speaks during the 2019 United States Air Force Academy Graduation Ceremony at Falcon Stadium, Thursday, May 30, 2019, in Colorado Springs, Colo. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

President Trump along with members of his administration and his reelection campaign are all weighing in on the crisis at southern border, including U.S. relations with Mexico. As the crisis at the border continues, the word from the White House is — it’s time for Mexico to do its part.
While speaking to reporters Friday, Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said the president’s number one responsibility is national security and protecting Americans.
“…we don’t know who’s coming in, and we can’t process them, and we’re being totally overrun,”she explained. “As we’re seeing, the numbers get worse and worse — the president has a constitutional obligation to step up and do something.”
In a series of tweets Friday, the president highlighted the situation with Mexico. He said the country has “taken advantage of the U.S. for decades” due to what he says are bad immigration laws as well as the actions of Democrat lawmakers. President Trump also said it’s time for Mexico “to finally do what must be done” in order to address the issues at the U.S.-Mexico border. Those issues include drugs, weapons and human trafficking as well as the surge of illegal immigration, which Mexico has the legal authority to stop.
The tariffs could be a tool to bring Mexico to the negotiating table, and help reduce the trade deficit between the two nations. President Trump said companies, including the auto industry, will leave Mexico and come back to the U.S. to avoid paying the tariffs, which he says would also help stop the flow of drugs and illegal immigrants into the U.S.

In order not to pay Tariffs, if they start rising, companies will leave Mexico, which has taken 30% of our Auto Industry, and come back home to the USA. Mexico must take back their country from the drug lords and cartels. The Tariff is about stopping drugs as well as illegals!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 31, 2019

The president also claimed 90-percent of the drugs coming into the U.S. do so through Mexico. He pointed out that thousands of people have died, and something needs to be done.

90% of the Drugs coming into the United States come through Mexico & our Southern Border. 80,000 people died last year, 1,000,000 people ruined. This has gone on for many years & nothing has been done about it. We have a 100 Billion Dollar Trade Deficit with Mexico. It’s time!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 31, 2019