Trump Threatens to Double Mexico Tariffs Unless Caravans Are Stopped; Warns New Texas Governor

November 13, 2026

President Donald Trump threatened Thursday to immediately double tariffs on Mexico if the country does not stop migrant caravans he said are forming and moving north toward the U.S. border. In a Truth Social post, Trump wrote that the groups would not be accepted and that there would be “no leniency.”

“Here we go again!” the post began. “With the perceived loss by the Republicans in the Midterms – I WAS NOT ON THE BALLOT – the INVASION of our Country is taking place again. Huge CARAVANS are forming and beginning their illegal march through Mexico. Many of the people in these Caravans are those that various countries don’t want – ‘Send them to America,’ they say – But they will not be accepted!”

Trump continued: “MEXICO MUST STOP THEM, NOW, and if they do not do so, the Tariffs on Mexico will be IMMEDIATELY DOUBLED. MEXICO, THE GOVERNOR OF TEXAS, THE VERY LIBERAL NEW GOVERNOR OF TEXAS, OUR GREAT BORDER PATROL, & ICE, HAVE BEEN SO INFORMED. There will be no leniency!”

The reference to the “very liberal new governor of Texas” points to Democrat Gina Hinojosa, who defeated Republican Gov. Greg Abbott in last week’s midterm elections. Hinojosa is set to become the first Latina governor of Texas and the first Democrat to hold the office since 1995. Trump’s post listed both the current governor and the governor-elect as having been informed of the warning.

Reuters and other outlets reported that a group of roughly 1,500 migrants, mostly from Central America, left the southern Mexican city of Tapachula in Chiapas state near the Guatemala border on or around November 10. Some participants told reporters they hoped Democratic gains in the midterms would produce looser U.S. immigration policies. A smaller group was also reported moving in the same region. Mexican authorities have previously broken up or slowed similar groups before they reached the northern border.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum responded at her daily press conference that no migrant caravan has reached the U.S. border since Trump returned to office in January 2025. She said a group of about 600 people traveling through Chiapas had largely dispersed after members were informed that entry into the United States would be “very difficult,” leaving fewer than 100. Sheinbaum added that Mexican officials are also speaking with another group of Honduran migrants and encouraging returns to countries of origin. She said Mexico has experience managing such movements through information and humanitarian assistance rather than force, and that smugglers have been telling people the midterm results changed U.S. policy, which she called incorrect.

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin posted after Trump’s statement: “We will utilize all assets to make sure our borders are secure. This illegal migrant caravan will NOT be allowed to enter our country. Full stop.”

The tariff threat arrives while the United States and Mexico are engaged in trade discussions. Existing U.S. tariffs on certain Mexican goods include 25 percent duties on passenger vehicles and light trucks that do not meet USMCA rules of origin, 50 percent on steel, aluminum, and copper, and additional levies on other products. Mexico has sought reductions in some of these rates. Doubling current rates would raise costs for importers and affect cross-border supply chains in autos, agriculture, and manufacturing. Trump’s post did not specify a timeline for Mexico to act or identify the precise legal authority under which any increase would be imposed.

Border encounters have fallen sharply since Trump’s return to office compared with prior peaks, according to Customs and Border Protection data. Caravans traveling on foot through southern Mexico have been a recurring feature of regional migration for years, often drawing media attention when groups form near Tapachula. Mexican authorities have regularly intervened to prevent large groups from reaching the northern border during the current administration.

Trump’s post explicitly tied the reported movement to the midterm results, in which Republicans lost control of the House and Senate. He has used similar tariff leverage on Mexico in previous years to press for cooperation on migration enforcement. No formal tariff increase has been announced by the administration following the post. Mexican officials continue to state that groups are being informed of U.S. entry restrictions and are dispersing before reaching the border.