Democratic leader and California governor Gavin Newsom slammed US President-elect Trump’s proposed tariffs on Mexico and Canada when visited the border crossing Otay Mesa East Port of Entry on Thursday.
Newsom aims to finish the border crossing by December 2027, as reported by Fox News.
Newsom called the 25% tariffs a “betrayal” and “one of the biggest tax increases in US history.” He argued the tariffs would harm Californian consumers, small businesses, and farmers.
“Don’t think for a second this won’t impact you,” Newsom said while addressing the citizens. “90% of these tariffs will impactthe bottom of our economic chain, meaning lower wage workers that pay over half of these taxes,” he added.
Newsom stressed the importance of trade with Mexico, saying, “There is no economic growth in America without the success and the vibrancy of this region.” He further emphasised the negative impact on agricultural workers, saying “And those farmers and ranchers will be impacted disproportionately if these tariffs go into effect. And I didn’t even bring up the mass deportation components of it. You know better than I do when you look at farm workers, the last estimate, roughly half are undocumented,” he said.
While advocating for trade, Newsom also announced a plan to increase border security using the California national guard. The focus will be on stopping the flow of fentanyl and illegal weapons. This follows recent reports from the San Diego-based smart border coalition estimating nearly 200,000 illegal migrants cross into California daily.
Newsom also requested $25 million from the California legislature for legal defense against potential lawsuits from the incoming Trump administration. This comes after California’s department of justice filed 122 lawsuits against Trump administration policies between 2017 and 2021, spending $42 million.
During that same period, Trump administration filed four major lawsuits against California. “You are being betrayed by these policies,” Newsom said. Newsom’s actions aim to prepare California, a sanctuary state and democratic stronghold, for potential conflicts with Trump’s policies, including his proposed mass deportation plan.
