Even before taking office, Trump puts Mexico on spot stop the caravans now

Even before the US polls opened Tuesday, a vanguard of immigrants at least 5,000 strong set out on a long march from deep southern Mexico to the US southern border.The purpose: to test whether new Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum will use the military to stop them now that the American election is over.No less at stake in this fresh northward moving caravan challenge is whether hundreds of thousands more pooled up behind them in southern Mexico — with thousands more a day crossing into Mexico from Guatemala — will observe an unimpeded passage for this vanguard and follow it in a massive human swell that would presumably last until Donald Trump is sworn in January 20.But Trump isn’t waiting.

Just a day before the caravans launched and he won his election, Trump threatened massive, debilitating tariffs on Mexican exports if Sheinbaum lets caravans make it to the border before he gets into office.“I’m going to inform [Mexico’s president] on day one or sooner that if they don’t stop this onslaught of criminals and drugs coming into our country, I’m going to immediately impose a 25% tariff on everything they send into the United States of America,” Trump declared at his Raleigh, NC, rally on Monday.“If that doesn’t work,” he added, “I’ll make it 50, and if that doesn’t work, I’ll make it 75.Then I’ll make it 100.” Subscribe to our daily Post Opinion newsletter! Please provide a valid email address.

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Recent history shows that this warning shot that Trump fired over the presidential palace has very real potential to impede any mad final mass dash on the southern border during the coming transition period — and much more.Recall that last December, President Biden struck a backroom deal with Mexico City to alleviate the political spectacle of a badly congested southe...