Mexican senator calls border wall "hostile act", tells Pena Nieto to cancel meeting with Trump

Record ID: 165648

  • Title: Mexican senator calls border wall "hostile act", tells Pena Nieto to cancel meeting with Trump
  • Date: 25th January 2017
  • Summary: MEXICO CITY, MEXICO (JANUARY 25, 2017) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR SENATE VARIOUS OF SENATE IN SESSION
  • Embargoed: 8th February 2017 20:01
  • Keywords: Trump wall senator Mexico reaction
  • Location: MEXICO CITY, MEXICO
  • City: MEXICO CITY, MEXICO
  • Country: Mexico
  • Topics: Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA00160KYVK7
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: A Mexican Senator called President Donald Trump's signature of directives on Wednesday (January 25) to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexican border and strip funding from cities that shield illegal immigrants, a hostile act.
    Trump has charged ahead with sweeping and divisive plans to transform how the United States deals with immigration and national security.
    "The time has come to define things for what they are, the wall is an act of enmity, it is a hostile act. Enough arguing about who will pay for it. Mexico is obliged to define that decision taken by the new President of the United States as an act of enmity, as an aggression and as a hostile act towards Mexico, towards the Mexican men and towards the Mexican women," said Armando Rios Piter, an opposition Senator for the center-left party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD).
    Piter added Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, must cancel his U.S. trip.
    "And faced with the statement by Donald Trump, it is essential that President Pena Nieto, immediately cancels - that is the approach, the suggestion and proposal to President Pena, to cancel the scheduled visit to the United States," Piter added.
    Trump signed two executive orders, directing the construction of a wall along the roughly 2,000-mile (3,200-kilometer) U.S.-Mexico border, moving to peel away federal grant money from "sanctuary" states and cities that harbour illegal immigrants and beefing up the force of immigration agents.
    His plans prompted an immediate outcry from immigrant advocates and others who said Trump was jeopardizing the rights and freedoms of millions of people while treating Mexico as an enemy, not an ally.
    Mexico resident, Raul Mendez remained optimistic.
    "We, I think we have the quality and strength of labour and our Mexicans, we do not need a wall. The Americans will continue to ask for our support because they don't even have the capacity, the labour force and the quality that we have. I think it does not affect us. It should not affect us at any time," Mendez said.
    Another resident, Miguel Lopez, said Trump should pay for the wall.
    "Mexicans have to pay for the wall in one way or another? So it does affect us because I don't agree that we should pay for that wall. If he wants to build it, then he should pay for it," Lopez said.
    Local officials in cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, Denver, Washington, San Francisco and Seattle offer some forms of protection to illegal immigrants. Billions of dollars in federal aid to those cities, often governed by Democrats, could be at risk.
    During a White House briefing, Spicer said Trump's goal was to get the wall project started as quickly as possible using existing government funds and then work with the Republican-led Congress on further appropriations.
    The cost, nature and extent of the wall remain unclear. Trump last year put the cost at "probably $8 billion," although other estimates are higher, and he said the wall would span 1,000 miles (1,600 km) because of the terrain of the border.
    Trump and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto are due to meet next week.
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