MEXICO CITY

Mexican Foreign Minister Juan Ramón de la Fuente urged an end to the criminalization of immigrants and the use of trade war tactics during his address Thursday to the UN General Assembly.

De la Fuente reflected on diplomatic tensions Mexico has faced in the last year under Donald Trump’s presidency, highlighting the aggressive targeting and criminalization of immigrants, as well as repeated threats of tariffs on Mexican exports.

“We particularly reject the criminalization of people who, for whatever reason, have been forced to leave their homes and migrate --whether to seek refuge or to escape conditions of injustice or poverty. For us, migrants are people with rights,” said De la Fuente.

Trump has made anti-immigration policy the hallmark of his presidency, leaving Mexico as a witness to the dehumanizing treatment and arbitrary detention of Mexican nationals living in the US.

“Let there be no doubt: Mexico will not tire in ensuring the protection and support of Mexican nationals living abroad. They deserve all our attention and assistance,” De la Fuente added.

Alongside the US crackdown on irregular immigration, Trump has repeatedly used tariff threats to pressure Mexico, his country’s closest trading partner, to demand compliance with his immigration and security priorities.

While Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has successfully resisted the imposition of US tariffs, the American President has continued to pressure his Mexican counterpart through commercial threats.

“Mexico will always advocate for the peaceful resolution of conflicts and, for that reason, rejects sanctions and trade blockades that only harm the well-being of the people,” said De la Fuente.