President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canada and Mexico were implemented on Tuesday since he believes the two nations’ governments have failed to stop cartel activity and the flow of drugs into the United States.
Trump gave Canada and Mexico “ample opportunity” to address the issues, but “they have failed to adequately address the situation,” according to a fact sheet from the White House.
“President Donald J. Trump is proceeding with implementing tariffs on Canada and Mexico under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act,” the White House announced.
Trump told reporters on Monday that the tariffs on both countries would be implemented at 25 percent, according to the Associated Press.
The move comes after such tariffs were paused for one month as Canada and Mexico promised concessions in the form of devoting more resources to border security.
But Trump concluded on Monday that there remains “no room left for Mexico or for Canada.”
Energy imports from Canada, such as oil, will be taxed at a lower 10 percent level.
China will also see the tariffs imposed on its imports rise from 10 percent to 20 percent.
The fact sheet said that the inflow of drugs like fentanyl has created “a national emergency” and a public health crisis.
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“Mexican drug trafficking organizations, the world’s leading fentanyl traffickers, operate unhindered due to an intolerable relationship with the government of Mexico,” the White House continued.
“The government of Mexico has afforded safe havens for the cartels to engage in the manufacturing and transportation of dangerous narcotics, which collectively have led to the overdose deaths of hundreds of thousands of American victims.”
The fact sheet added that cartels are also running fentanyl and nitazene labs in Canada.
Some so-called “super labs” in rural western Canada can produce between 44 and 66 pounds of fentanyl per week.
The amount of fentanyl seized from the northern border last year was enough to kill 9.5 million Americans.
“Both nations’ failure to arrest traffickers, seize drugs, or coordinate with U.S. law enforcement constitutes an unusual and extraordinary threat to America’s security,” the White House added.
“When voters overwhelmingly elected Donald J. Trump as President, they gave him a mandate to seal the border,” the statement said.
“That is exactly what he is doing.”
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