Members of Mexico’s National Guard began patrolling an area along the country’s southern border, as Mexico stepped up efforts to reduce a surge of migrants toward the U.S. under pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, who has vowed to hit Mexican goods with tariffs if Mexico does not do more to stem illegal immigration.
As part of those efforts, Mexico has pledged to deploy 6,000 National Guard members along its border with Guatemala.
Mexico made a deal on June 7 with the United States to avert the tariffs, setting the clock ticking on a 45-day period for the Mexican government to make palpable progress in reducing the numbers of people trying to cross the U.S. border illegally.
Most of those caught attempting to enter the United States are people fleeing poverty and violence in three troubled Central American nations, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador.