Biden, US-Mexico border crisis remain big issues in Sheinbaum’s early hours

The congratulatory call from President Joe Biden on Monday came amid reports that he would sign an executive order limiting asylum claims at the nation’s southern border, marking the most strident immigration crackdown of his tenure in the White House — and a bucket of cold water for Mexico’s new leader.

The conversation between Biden and Shimbum was cordial, both said later in social media posts. The White House declined to say whether Biden mentioned the order during the call, though it reflects the tense nature of relations between the two countries that are each other’s biggest trading partners.

Sheinbaum will take office just weeks before the U.S. election, an election that will set the stage for a Mexican leader with little foreign policy experience to tackle questions like Chinese investment in her country, a possible rewriting of the continental trade agreement, the millions of migrants arriving at the border — and the possible return of Donald Trump.

The challenges are enormous for Biden, who is facing electoral pressure over the border while also planning to crack down on adversary countries such as China that are seeking to gain a foothold in Mexico to gain greater access to U.S. markets.

Meanwhile, a Trump win will likely focus attention even more on Mexico: During the campaign, he has repeatedly vowed to close the southern border to illegal immigrants and promised to launch the largest mass deportation effort in U.S. history. One of his top priorities is completing the border wall he began in his first term; he has also threatened to impose a 100% tariff on cars made in Mexico by Chinese companies.

Read more: AMLO protégé Sheinbaum becomes Mexico’s first female president

Balancing the demands of U.S. presidents with their own policy objectives is an ongoing challenge for Mexican leaders, though Sheinbaum’s predecessor and mentor, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, often appeared to relish the challenge.

AMLO, as he is known, has attacked Texas lawmakers for “politicking” on border issues but has overcome an uneasy start to forge a surprisingly cordial relationship with Trump. He often lauds the relationship between the pair of nationalist leaders, even though Trump once threatened to invade Mexico.

But Trump has rarely maintained such relationships with prominent female counterparts: He openly criticized former British Prime Minister Theresa May and reserved his most intense resentment for former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who sat stone-faced with Trump in the Oval Office during an infamous meeting.

Meanwhile, Biden and AMLO have reached agreement on migration matters, while Mexican leaders regularly seek to challenge the United States: López Obrador has demanded that the country send back a top general who was arrested in the U.S. and who frequently mocks the Drug Enforcement Administration.

READ MORE: Leading Mexican presidential candidate Sheinbaum talks Trump and migration

Sheinbaum has pledged to maintain a “good relationship” with the U.S. no matter who wins the election. She has so far remained diplomatic about the issues of the day, saying Mexico will meet its global climate commitments and that she wants to see an end to the killing of innocent civilians in the war between Israel and Hamas. But she has not yet revealed her broader foreign policy objectives.

The outcome of the US election will likely determine how the White House handles these issues. However, no matter who wins, Sheinbaum’s landslide election victory on Sunday is likely to give him some sway over how his government treats his closest counterpart – especially when he needs help.

“Given the kind of support they have, it would be naïve for any U.S. president — no matter who they are — to think they can unilaterally control our shared border,” said Diego Marroquin, a North America researcher at the Wilson Center in Washington. “We’re not going to gain anything by just working on enforcement on the U.S. side.”

With assistance from Stephanie Lai.

This article is generated from an automated news agency feed without any modifications to the text.

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Published: June 04, 2024, 05:13 AM IST