Top Mexico Official Said Migrant Flood From Central America is 'Too Much' to Handle

A top diplomat from Mexico said Wednesday the constant flow of Central American migrants through his country has been "too much," and that negotiations with the United States should continue to both eliminate President Donald Trump's proposed tariffs and ease migrant traffic through his country.

Marcelo Ebrard, who is the Mexican Secretary of Foreign Affairs, met with Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo Wednesday while President Donald Trump was making a visit in the United Kingdom. Ebrard said the latest migrant report indicates his country must take action, or else face a five percent increase in tariffs.

"Today the numbers report was published, and indeed the flows are growing too much, so they can't be maintained as they are," Ebrard told a group of reporters, according to The Hill.

President Trump last month said he would increase tariffs on Mexico until the country curbs "illegal migrants" from traversing their lands as a passageway to the United States. The economic burden that such a tariff would impose was broadcast across both countries, resulting in such a meeting between officials from Washington and Mexico City.

"In brief, we had a cordial meeting, each side defended its points of view firmly and with arguments," said Ebrard, who elaborated and said Mexico and the United States should develop a long-term solution to the migration problem hatched in Guatemala, El Salvador and other Latin American countries south of Mexico's southern border.

"Both sides recognize that the current situation cannot be maintained as it is," the secretary said.

President Trump said last week he would levy a 5 percent tariff on Mexico, that would gradually increase, if the country wouldn't help the United States slow the migrant blitz on the shared border.

"Further talks with Mexico will resume tomorrow with the understanding that, if no agreement is reached, Tariffs at the 5 percent level will begin on Monday, with monthly increases as per schedule," the president has said.

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection stated Wednesday that illegal apprehensions in May increased by 33.8 percent over April, which was already one of the heaviest months of apprehensions in CBP's records.

The Mexican secretary said his country wanted a long-term solution to the problem that would solve the current short-term threat by the U.S. president.