Mexico's President Defies Trump Over Migrant Caravan as She Rejects His 'Invasion' Claims and Tariff Threats
Trump threatened to double tariffs on Mexico if it doesn’t stop the migrant caravans
Nov. 12 2026, Published 2:41 p.m. ET
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has challenged Donald Trump's claims that large migrant caravans are heading toward the United States, pushing back against his description of the groups as an invasion.
Her response followed the US president's threat to immediately double tariffs on Mexican goods unless her government stops migrants traveling north through the country.
Speaking at her November 12 morning news conference, Sheinbaum pointed out that no migrant caravan had reached the US border since Trump returned to office in January 2025.
Her comments came as approximately 1,500 migrants traveled through southern Mexico, hoping recent Democratic victories in the US midterm elections could eventually lead to more welcoming immigration policies.
Trump Threatens to Double Tariffs Over Migrant Caravans
President Claudia Sheinbaum said no caravan has reached the U.S. border since Trump took office
Trump issued his warning in a November 12 post on Truth Social, claiming that large groups of migrants were preparing to enter the United States through Mexico.
"Here we go again! With the perceived loss by the Republicans in the Midterms - I WAS NOT ON THE BALLOT- the INVASION of our Country is taking place again," he wrote.
He went on to claim that "Huge CARAVANS are forming and beginning their illegal march through Mexico." The president then demanded that Mexico intervene, warning, "MEXICO MUST STOP THEM, NOW, and if they do not do so, the Tariffs on Mexico will be IMMEDIATELY DOUBLED."
Trump did not identify which existing tariffs would be increased or explain when the proposed doubling would take effect. His warning came as a large migrant group was already making its way north through Mexico.
Sheinbaum Says No Migrant Caravan Has Reached US Border
She said one group of about 600 people in Chiapas has mostly broken up
During her morning briefing, Sheinbaum disputed the suggestion that migrant caravans had successfully reached the United States since the beginning of Trump's second presidency.
"Not a single migrant caravan has reached the north" since January 2025, she said, referring to the US border.
The Mexican president acknowledged that migrant groups were traveling through her country but said authorities were explaining the obstacles they would face trying to enter the United States.
She also rejected using force to break up the groups, explaining that Mexican officials had considerable experience accompanying migrants and informing them about their chances of crossing the border.
Sheinbaum separately discussed a group of approximately 600 migrants traveling through Chiapas, saying most had dispersed after receiving information about the difficulties of reaching the United States. Authorities were also speaking with several hundred Honduran migrants about returning home.
More Than 1,000 Migrants Travel Through Southern Mexico
Mexican officials are also talking to a group of Honduran migrants and encouraging them to go home
The latest developments followed the November 10 departure of a caravan of approximately 1,500 people from Tapachula, a city near Mexico's border with Guatemala.
Reuters reported that most participants were from Central America, with many families traveling alongside young children.
The group, called "God With Us," initially planned to reach Mexico City, more than 1,000 kilometers away, to seek assistance and protection from Mexican authorities as they continued their journey north.
Some participants expressed renewed optimism after Democrats won control of Congress in the midterm elections, believing the political shift could eventually improve their chances of entering the United States.
Nicaraguan migrant Cesar Sandoval shared his hopes with Reuters, saying, "There might be a light at the end of the tunnel, a way for us to get in."
He added, "We believe the Democrats will help us... with God's help."
However, researcher Ivan Porraz cautioned that the political change would not necessarily bring immediate relief to migrants. "As long as Trump remains president, the deportations will not stop," he said.
Tariff Threat Comes Amid US-Mexico Trade Negotiations
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Sheinbaum ruled out using force and said they just explain how hard it is to cross
Trump's latest warning adds another complication to trade discussions between Washington and Mexico City, which are already negotiating several contentious issues under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).
The agreement entered its formal joint review process in July 2026, with separate bilateral negotiations between the US and Mexico covering automobiles, agriculture, labor, steel and aluminum.
Mexico has been seeking reductions in US duties affecting products outside USMCA coverage, as well as tariffs on trucks, steel and aluminum. These trade disputes have remained important sticking points as the neighboring countries work toward an agreement on their economic relationship.
Although Washington declined to renew the agreement for another 16-year term during the July review, the USMCA remains in force. The countries must continue annual reviews until they agree on an extension or the existing agreement reaches its 2036 expiration date.
