News Updates
Trump retreats on threat to close border
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-47741926
President Donald Trump has dropped a threat to close the border this week, instead giving Mexico a year to stem the flow of illegal drugs into the US.
Mr Trump said if Mexico has not clamped down on narcotics during that time, he would slap car duties on America’s southern neighbour, and if that doesn’t work, he would shut the border.
“We’re going to give them a one year warning,” he told reporters at the White House, “and if the drugs don’t stop, or largely stop, we’re going to put tariffs on Mexico and products, in particular cars.”
He added: “And if that doesn’t stop the drugs, we close the border.”
But what would happen to people, and to trade, if a border closure were ever to go ahead?
Mexico is the United States’ third-largest trading partner after Canada and China, so the impact would be widespread and immediate.
Anticipated avocado shortages would just be one part of it.