Here is what President Trump said Thursday at the White House about Mexico and his administration’s current immigration enforcement actions:
“With Mexico we have 70 billion in deficits trade deficits and it’s unsustainable. We’re not going to let it happen. We can’t let it happen. We’re going to have a good relationship with Mexico, I hope. And if we don’t, we don’t but we can’t let that happen. 70 billion dollars in trade deficits. And that doesn’t include the drugs that pour across the border like water…. Right now, Rex [Tillerson] who as you know, he’s in Mexico. I said that’s going to be a tough trip because we have to be treated fairly by Mexico. It’s going to be a tough trip. But he’s over there with General Kelly, who’s been unbelievable at the border. You’ve seen what’s happening at the border. For the first time, we’re getting gang members out, we’re getting drug lords out. We’re getting really bad dudes out of this country. And at rate that nobody’s ever seen before. And they’re the bad ones. And it’s a military operation because of what has been allowed to come into our country. When you see gang violence that you’ve read about like never before and all of the things, much of that is people that are here illegally. And they’re rough and they’re tough but they’re not tough like our people. So we’re getting them out.”
A few hours later in Mexico City, DHS Secretary John Kelly was quick to remind people that current immigration actions are not using military force:
So @DHS Kelly says in #CDMX "no use of military force in immigration" but earlier today @POTUS says actions are a "military operation."
— Julio Ricardo Varela (@julito77) February 23, 2017
"There will be no use of military force in immigration. At least half of you try to get that right," @DHS Sec Kelly says.
— Julio Ricardo Varela (@julito77) February 23, 2017
Later on Thursday afternoon, White House Sean Spicer tried to clarify what the President meant:
“The President was using that as an adjective,” Spicer said. “It’s happening with precision. And in a manner in which it’s being done very, very clearly. I think we made it clear in the past and Secretary Kelly reiterated it, what kind of operation this was. But the President was clearly describing the manner in which this was being done. And so, just to be clear on his use of that phrase. And I think the way it’s being done by all accounts is being done with very much.. high degree of precision and in a flawless manner, in terms of making sure that the orders are carried out and it’s done in a streamlined and efficient manner.”
