Mexican president to speak to Biden on Thursday, migration eyed
2023.12.21 10:12
© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Joe Biden meets with Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in San Francisco, California, U.S. November 17, 2023. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) -Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said he would speak to his U.S. counterpart Joe Biden on Thursday morning and that the two could discuss migration, amid concerns about increased border crossings and disruptions to trade.
Dozens of major U.S. agricultural groups on Wednesday urged the U.S. to reopen two rail crossings on the Texas-Mexico border to restore trade routes closed due to rising migrant crossings.
The White House later said it was working with Mexico to resolve issues that led to the closures.
That step followed a temporary suspension of expulsions of migrants by Mexican immigration authorities due to an end-of-year funding crunch, according to officials.
Lopez Obrador told a regular press conference Biden requested the call, and that the two would speak at 9 a.m.
When asked what the two would discuss, Lopez Obrador said: “I think migration. Let’s see what he puts to us.”
Biden, who is seeking re-election next year, has been under sustained political pressure to curb record numbers of people trying to cross illegally at the U.S.-Mexico border.
