Trump Plans To Close Mexico Border This Week Despite Billions In Economic Damage

President Donald Trump is reportedly planning to close the U.S. border with Mexico this week despite economic disruption that may run into billions of dollars.

Trump had threatened to close the border in the past as well for stopping illegal immigration. Now he may move from rhetoric to action.

The Mexico border stretching to 2,000-miles has 47 official entry ports processing more than 1 million people and $1.7 billion of commerce every day. According to Trump’s acting chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney president is not bluffing now.

Hint from Trump’s tweet

Closing the Mexico border can suit Trump's short-term political goals and bolster anti-immigration posturing.

“Our detention areas are maxed out & we will take no more illegals. Next step is to close the Border!” Trump tweeted on Monday as the latest Trump news on border vigil.

The Friday's tweet was a curtain raiser on the impending border closure plan.

Trump stated, “Would be CLOSING the Border, or large sections of the Border,” in the coming week if Mexico does not act against illegal border crossings.

However, Stephen Miller, a senior adviser to Trump said the President has not taken a final decision on the border closure.

“We will see how much progress we are able to make in the ensuing days, in terms of getting more enforcement with Central and South America, so that we are not getting swamped by meritless asylum claims predominantly from Central America,” Miller told top administration immigration surrogates during a conference call.

Trump believes shutting down the border would force Mexico to stop migrants from Central America using that country as a transit to pass into the U.S. In a November tweet, he warned Mexico.

“Mexico should move the flag-waving Migrants, many of whom are stone cold criminals, back to their countries. Do it by plane, do it by bus, do it any way you want, but they are NOT coming into the U.S.A. We will close the Border permanently if need be. Congress, fund the WALL!.”

Business group warns against border closure

Meanwhile, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce warned of “severe economic harm on American families, workers, farmers, and manufacturers across the United States” if Trump closes the border.

The action may involve sealing off parts of the US-Mexico border.

But even a limited closure could disrupt economic activity from California to Texas. So, long-term closure would be unbearable for local businesses and stifle supply chains hitting agriculture, logistics, and automobile sectors whose employees are mostly Trump’s political supporters.

Leon Rodriguez, former director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services warned that the political, logistical and economic consequences of border shuttering will be devastating.

Trump’s immigration allies are also not pleased.

According to Mark Krikorian, the director of the Center for Immigration Studies a Washington think tank seeking caps on illegal immigration “If this were to go on for more than a few days, you could see some American factories shutting down temporarily until it's over.”