President Trump on Saturday praised the United States' "new" deal with Mexico, in which the latter country agreed to tighten measures in an effort to curb the influx of migrants into the U.S. But a new report from The New York Times raises questions about just how new the agreement really is.
Many of the actions agreed to in Friday's immigration deal, which caused Trump to back off his escalating tariff threats against the U.S.' southern neighbor, were actually negotiated months before Trump ever promised to levy taxes on Mexican goods, officials from both countries familiar with the talks told the Times.
Trump reportedly accepted the existing agreements — allegedly previously agreed to under the leadership of former Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen — after the round of negotiations sparked by his tariff threats lasted several days. The Mexican government had reportedly already pledged to deploy the National Guard to its southern border to police migration in March, though they did increase the amount of troops in the more recent negotiations.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The other key component of Friday's deal — the expansion of a program that would keep those seeking asylum in the U.S. in Mexico while they await the results of their cases — was reportedly established in December, leaving many, reportedly including Trump, skeptical about the outcome of Friday's deal. Read more at The New York Times.
-
Pakistan: Trump’s ‘favourite field marshal’ takes chargeIn the Spotlight Asim Munir’s control over all three branches of Pakistan’s military gives him ‘sweeping powers’ – and almost unlimited freedom to use them
-
Codeword: December 6, 2025The daily codeword puzzle from The Week
-
Sudoku hard: December 6, 2025The daily hard sudoku puzzle from The Week
-
Trump tightens restrictions for work visasSpeed Read The length of work permits for asylum seekers and refugees has been shortened from five years to 18 months
-
Supreme Court revives Texas GOP gerrymanderSpeed Read Texas Republicans can use the congressional map they approved in August at President Donald Trump’s behest
-
Boat strike footage rattles some lawmakersSpeed Read ‘Disturbing’ footage of the Sept. 2 attack on an alleged drug-trafficking boat also shows the second strike that killed two survivors who were clinging to the wreckage
-
Trump boosts gas cars in fuel economy rollbackspeed read Watering down fuel efficiency standards is another blow to former President Biden’s effort to boost electric vehicles
-
Hegseth’s Signal chat put troops in peril, probe findsSpeed Read The defense secretary risked the lives of military personnel and violated Pentagon rules, says new report
-
Trump pardons Texas Democratic congressmanspeed read Rep. Henry Cuellar was charged with accepting foreign bribes tied to Azerbaijan and Mexico
-
GOP wins tight House race in red Tennessee districtSpeed Read Republicans maintained their advantage in the House
-
Trump targets ‘garbage’ Somalis ahead of ICE raidsSpeed Read The Department of Homeland Security will launch an immigration operation targeting Somali immigrants in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area
