Border Arrests Surge to Seven-Year High as Mexico Tries to Head Off Tariffs

Central American migrants surged across the United States border with Mexico in record numbers in May, officials announced Wednesday, as American and Mexican diplomats began discussions at the White House in a bid to avert potentially crippling economic consequences of President Trump’s threat to impose tariffs on all Mexican imports. More than 144,278 migrants were arrested and taken into custody by Customs and Border Protection along the southwest border during May, a 32 percent increase from April and the highest monthly total in seven years. Most crossed the border illegally, while about 10 percent arrived without the proper documentation at ports of entry along the border. The announcement of the surge in border crossings was designed to put pressure on the Mexican government to meet Mr. Trump’s demands that the government take action quickly. But it remained unclear what will satisfy the president, who has offered conflicting statements about his intentions. On Tuesday, Mr. Trump said that it was “more likely that the tariffs” would be imposed. But on Wednesday, the president said he believed Mexico was ready to make a deal to prevent the tariffs from going into effect. ”Mexico, you know, wants to make a deal,” Mr. Trump said during a trip to Ireland. “...MORE