US President Donald J. Trump has implemented tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to combat the national emergency posed by unchecked drug trafficking, particularly fentanyl. The move comes after both countries failed to adequately address the situation.
The flow of contraband drugs, including fentanyl, into the US through illicit networks has created a public health crisis, with hundreds of thousands of overdose deaths attributed to Mexican cartels that manufacture and traffic the substance in clandestine labs in Mexico. Cartel violence, including armed drones and roadside IEDs, is also increasing near the US-Mexico border.
The situation is not limited to the southern border; encounters at the northern border with Canada are rising. The sustained influx of illegal aliens has profound consequences on various aspects of national life, including overwhelming schools, lowering wages, and reducing housing supply.
The tariffs, which Trump promised in November 2020, will impose a 25% tax on all products coming into the US from Canada and Mexico until drugs like fentanyl and illegal aliens stop invading the country. This move is part of Trump’s efforts to put America first on trade policy and protect national security.
President Trump has a long record of using tariffs as a tool to secure borders, including during his first term when he successfully secured our border with Mexico. The move aims to force accountability and protect American lives by targeting the root cause of the crisis: cartels and illegal aliens.
Source: https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/03/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-proceeds-with-tariffs-on-imports-from-canada-and-mexico