Gavin Newsom, California’s state governor has stressed the importance of trade with Mexico and immigrant labor during a press conference close to the border on Thursday, distinctly contrasting with President-elect Donald Trump’s threat of tariffs and mass deportations.
The Democrat politician had portrayed the Republican president-elect’s proposed 25% tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada as a tax on Americans who may see increased prices if the plan moves forward when Trump takes office on January 20.
Newsom and California’s Attorney General Rob Bonta had in the aftermath of the U.S elections, emerged as prominent Democratic opponents of Trump’s agenda, promising to defend the state’s liberal policies.
Newsom further remarked that Trump’s tariff plans “one of the biggest tax increases in U.S. history.”
But Trump’s transition spokesperson Karoline Leavitt had announced that Trump’s policies would benefit American workers and promptly rejected Newsom’s suggestion that prices would rise.
Newsom had however, said California was dedicated to forging plans to establish a new legal border crossing near San Diego (a delayed project known as Otay Mesa East).
The governor added that the state would partner with outgoing President Joe Biden’s administration but he did concede that Trump’s support would be needed to finish up the project by late 2027.
To further drive home his dedication, Newsom said the state’s National Guard troops dispatched to the border would search for illegal money and weapons exported to Mexico in addition to their ongoing efforts to halt fentanyl trafficking into the U.S.
In a separate report, agricultural groups remarked that Trump’s plans for record deportations could wreck the nation’s food supply if it extends to farm workers, a concern also Newsom echoed during his speech on Thursday.
