US President Donald Trump will be shielded from the sight of slums by a newly built wall when he visits the city of Ahmedabad during a visit to India this month.

A senior government said the wall was being built for security reasons, not to conceal the slum district.

But the contractor building it told Reuters the government "did not want the slum to be seen" when Trump passes by on the ride in from Ahmedabad's airport.

"I've been ordered to build a wall as soon as possible, over 150 masons are working round-the-clock to finish the project," the contractor said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The government official conceded that the wall was part of a "beautification and cleanliness" drive.

Whatever the reason, the 400-meter-long and a seven-feet-high wall will prevent the US leader from getting a glimpse of a slum district that houses an estimated 800 families.

Trump, who has made his pledge to build a wall along the United States' border with Mexico a feature of his presidency, will visit India on Feb. 24-25 to reaffirm strategic ties that have been buffeted by trade disputes.

He is expected to attend an event dubbed "Kem Chho Trump" ("How are you, Trump") at a stadium in Ahmedabad along the lines of the "Howdy Modi" extravaganza he hosted for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Houston last September.

Speaking at the White House on Tuesday, Trump quoted Modi as saying "millions and millions of people" would attend the rally.

The event provides Trump, who was impeached in December, with the opportunity to woo the support of hundreds of thousands of Indian-American voters ahead of the U.S. presidential election in November.

But some slum dwellers whose homes will be cordoned off by the wall in Ahmedabad - the largest city in Modi's home state of Gujarat - said the government was wasting tax-payer money to hide the poor.

"Poverty and slums are the reality of our life, but Modi's government wants to hide the poor," said Parvatbhai Mafabhai, a day worker who has lived there with his family for more than three decades.

US President Donald Trump will be shielded from the sight of slums by a newly built wall when he visits the city of Ahmedabad during a visit to India this month.

US President Donald Trump will be shielded from the sight of slums by a newly built wall when he visits the city of Ahmedabad during a visit to India this month. A senior government said the wall was being built for security reasons, not to conceal the slum district. But the contractor building it told Reuters the government "did not want the slum to be seen" when Trump passes by on the ride in from Ahmedabad's airport. "I've been ordered to build a wall as soon as possible, over 150 masons are working round-the-clock to finish the project," the contractor said, speaking on condition of anonymity. The government official conceded that the wall was part of a "beautification and cleanliness" drive. Whatever the reason, the 400-meter-long and a seven-feet-high wall will prevent the US leader from getting a glimpse of a slum district that houses an estimated 800 families. Trump, who has made his pledge to build a wall along the United States' border with Mexico a feature of his presidency, will visit India on Feb. 24-25 to reaffirm strategic ties that have been buffeted by trade disputes. He is expected to attend an event dubbed "Kem Chho Trump" ("How are you, Trump") at a stadium in Ahmedabad along the lines of the "Howdy Modi" extravaganza he hosted for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Houston last September. Speaking at the White House on Tuesday, Trump quoted Modi as saying "millions and millions of people" would attend the rally. The event provides Trump, who was impeached in December, with the opportunity to woo the support of hundreds of thousands of Indian-American voters ahead of the U.S. presidential election in November. But some slum dwellers whose homes will be cordoned off by the wall in Ahmedabad - the largest city in Modi's home state of Gujarat - said the government was wasting tax-payer money to hide the poor. "Poverty and slums are the reality of our life, but Modi's government wants to hide the poor," said Parvatbhai Mafabhai, a day worker who has lived there with his family for more than three decades.

Another wall goes up for Trump, this time in India

US President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/will-be-deploying-320-additional-troops-along-mexico-border-us-defence-department-214622">Donald Trump has directed </a>his administration to charge fees for asylum claims and handle cases within 180 days, the White House said in a statement Monday night.&nbsp;

The announcement came as Trump blasted what he described as the United States' "weak, ineffective and dangerous" immigration laws on Twitter.

The memo outlined other changes including charging asylum seekers to file work permit applications, and barring people who enter the US illegally -&nbsp;or attempt to -&nbsp;from receiving temporary work permits before being approved for relief.

It also directed officials to revoke the work permits of immigrants who receive final deportation orders.

The order came two weeks after Attorney General Bill Barr directed immigration judges to no longer allow asylum seekers apprehended after entering the country illegally to post bail, according to the US media reports.

Trump has staked his presidency on his insistence that the United States is being overrun by migrants and asylum seekers.

But opponents, mostly in the Democratic Party, say his push for building more barriers on the Mexican border and his almost daily denunciations of migrants as dangerous criminals incites racial hatred.

The president declared an emergency to bypass Congress and unlock billions of dollars in funding for his controversial wall project, and has also deployed troops to the border with Mexico.

US President Donald Trump has directed his administration to charge fees for asylum claims and handle cases within 180 days, the White House said in a statement Monday night.

US President Donald Trump has directed his administration to charge fees for asylum claims and handle cases within 180 days, the White House said in a statement Monday night. The announcement came as Trump blasted what he described as the United States' "weak, ineffective and dangerous" immigration laws on Twitter. The memo outlined other changes including charging asylum seekers to file work permit applications, and barring people who enter the US illegally - or attempt to - from receiving temporary work permits before being approved for relief. It also directed officials to revoke the work permits of immigrants who receive final deportation orders. The order came two weeks after Attorney General Bill Barr directed immigration judges to no longer allow asylum seekers apprehended after entering the country illegally to post bail, according to the US media reports. Trump has staked his presidency on his insistence that the United States is being overrun by migrants and asylum seekers. But opponents, mostly in the Democratic Party, say his push for building more barriers on the Mexican border and his almost daily denunciations of migrants as dangerous criminals incites racial hatred. The president declared an emergency to bypass Congress and unlock billions of dollars in funding for his controversial wall project, and has also deployed troops to the border with Mexico.

Trump directs officials to charge fees for asylum claims, settle cases in 180 days

Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said Saturday that no decision has been taken on funding President Donald Trump's border wall with Mexico, a project that may come partly from redirected military funds.

Trump on Friday <a href="http://www.wionews.com/videos/donald-trump-declares-national-emergency-to-signs-border-wall-deal-197774">declared a national emergency</a> to address what he called an "invasion" of drugs, gangs, human traffickers and undocumented migrants over the US border with Mexico.

The declaration means he would be able to sidestep Congress to access federal funds from elsewhere to help pay for building the border wall. The move however was immediatly challenged in court.

"So very deliberately, we have not made any decisions. ... There has been no determination by me," Shanahan said on the way home from Germany.

Trump wanted Congress to authorize $5.7 billion for a wall along parts of the border, but lawmakers provided just $1.375 billion for barriers, not a solid concrete wall.

The White House said Friday that Trump will access $6.1 billion from two Pentagon sources: $3.6 billion from a military construction fund, and $2.5 billion from Defense Department counter-drug activity funds.

"We always anticipated that this would create a lot of attention and since money potentially could be redirected, you can imagine the concerns this generates," Shanahan said.

The Pentagon chief said he would "review that analysis now that the emergency has been declared. Based on that analysis, we can do an assessment of what would be appropriate."

He added: "We are following the law. We are using the rules. We are not bending the rules."

As a candidate, Trump repeatedly vowed that Mexico would pay for a wall.

Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said Saturday that no decision has been taken on funding President Donald Trump's border wall with Mexico, a project that may come partly from redirected military funds.

Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said Saturday that no decision has been taken on funding President Donald Trump's border wall with Mexico, a project that may come partly from redirected military funds. Trump on Friday declared a national emergency to address what he called an "invasion" of drugs, gangs, human traffickers and undocumented migrants over the US border with Mexico. The declaration means he would be able to sidestep Congress to access federal funds from elsewhere to help pay for building the border wall. The move however was immediatly challenged in court. "So very deliberately, we have not made any decisions. ... There has been no determination by me," Shanahan said on the way home from Germany. Trump wanted Congress to authorize $5.7 billion for a wall along parts of the border, but lawmakers provided just $1.375 billion for barriers, not a solid concrete wall. The White House said Friday that Trump will access $6.1 billion from two Pentagon sources: $3.6 billion from a military construction fund, and $2.5 billion from Defense Department counter-drug activity funds. "We always anticipated that this would create a lot of attention and since money potentially could be redirected, you can imagine the concerns this generates," Shanahan said. The Pentagon chief said he would "review that analysis now that the emergency has been declared. Based on that analysis, we can do an assessment of what would be appropriate." He added: "We are following the law. We are using the rules. We are not bending the rules." As a candidate, Trump repeatedly vowed that Mexico would pay for a wall.

No decision made on spending for Trump's wall: Pentagon chief

A 'virtual' border instead of Trump's wall?

The partial US government shutdown is set to stretch on through Christmas as Congress adjourned Saturday with no deal in sight to end the impasse over funding for Donald Trump's wall on the US-Mexico border.

Due to the shutdown -- which saw several key US agencies cease operations at 12:01 am (0501 GMT) Saturday -- Trump said that he would remain in Washington over Christmas instead of going to Florida.

"I am in the White House, working hard," the Republican president tweeted Saturday morning. "We are negotiating with the Democrats on desperately needed Border Security (Gangs, Drugs, Human Trafficking &amp; more) but it could be a long stay."

Trump has dug in on <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/standoff-over-trump-wall-leaves-us-govt-5-days-away-from-shutdown-184833">his demand for $5 billion for construction of the wall</a> on the US border with Mexico. Democrats are staunchly opposed, and the absence of an elusive deal meant federal funds for dozens of agencies lapsed at midnight Friday.

The House of Representatives and the Senate held sessions on Saturday, but both chambers adjourned without a deal being reached, and no votes were expected until December 27.

Top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer blasted the president and blamed him for provoking the shutdown: "President Trump, if you want to open the government abandon the wall, plain and simple."

"The Trump shutdown isn't over border security; it's because President Trump is demanding billions of dollars for an expensive, ineffective wall that the majority of Americans don't support."

Most critical US security functions remain operational, but 800,000 federal workers are impacted, with many furloughed just days before Christmas while others deemed essential are working unpaid.

And as many other Americans and tourists began their end-of-the year holidays some national parks have shuttered completely, while others remain open but without any visitor services including restrooms and maintenance.&nbsp;

New York's governor provided funding to the Statue of Liberty monument and Ellis Island so those key attractions could remain open.

'Dereliction of duty' 
It remains unclear how long the shutdown will last, with Washington unable to accomplish one of its most basic tasks -- keeping the government up and running.

"This is a dereliction of duty by Congress and the president," said David Cox, national president of the American Federation of Government Employees.

Trump's own Republican party still controls both the House and Senate, but in January the House comes under Democratic control.

Governor Ralph Northam of Virginia -- a state bordering the US capital that is home to many federal workers -- urged Trump in a letter Saturday to push immediate action to end the shutdown, saying it "inflicts real harm" on workers.

"I share your desire for strong economic growth throughout the United States, but the current partial government shutdown makes it harder to achieve this goal," the Democratic governor said.

About three-quarters of the government, including the military and the Department of Health and Human Services, is fully funded until the end of September 2019, leaving 25 percent unfunded as of Saturday.&nbsp;

Most NASA employees will be sent home, as will Commerce Department workers and many at the Departments of Homeland Security, Justice, Agriculture and State.

Should they eventually strike a deal, it could swiftly clear Congress and reach the president's desk, said Senate Republican Bob Corker.&nbsp;

One focus of discussion was the $1.6 billion in border security funding that was a part of pending Senate legislation, number two Senate Republican John Cornyn told AFP.

'No agreement' 
But conservatives in the House would likely balk at that figure.

"There's no agreement," congressman Mark Meadows, chairman of the House Freedom Caucus of ultra-conservatives, told reporters as he left a closed-door meeting on the Capitol's Senate side.

"There's a whole lot of numbers being thrown around," but a maximum $1.6 billion for border security "is not acceptable."

Trump reversed course Thursday and rejected a measure that had unanimously passed the Senate and was under House consideration.

It would have extended government funding until February 8, but contained no money for a border wall, a pet project Trump has fought for since his presidential campaign.

Democrats painted Trump as the Grinch who stole the year-end deal.

With lawmakers like Meadows and prominent conservative commentators demanding that the president stick to his campaign promises, Trump would not budge on his wall.

The House swiftly passed a bill that fulfilled the president's demands. It included $5.7 billion in wall funding, and $7.8 billion in disaster relief.

But it stalled at the first hurdle in the Senate.

The partial US government shutdown is set to stretch on through Christmas as Congress adjourned Saturday with no deal in sight to end the impasse over funding for Donald Trump's wall on the US-Mexico border.

The partial US government shutdown is set to stretch on through Christmas as Congress adjourned Saturday with no deal in sight to end the impasse over funding for Donald Trump's wall on the US-Mexico border. Due to the shutdown -- which saw several key US agencies cease operations at 12:01 am (0501 GMT) Saturday -- Trump said that he would remain in Washington over Christmas instead of going to Florida. "I am in the White House, working hard," the Republican president tweeted Saturday morning. "We are negotiating with the Democrats on desperately needed Border Security (Gangs, Drugs, Human Trafficking & more) but it could be a long stay." Trump has dug in on his demand for $5 billion for construction of the wall on the US border with Mexico. Democrats are staunchly opposed, and the absence of an elusive deal meant federal funds for dozens of agencies lapsed at midnight Friday. The House of Representatives and the Senate held sessions on Saturday, but both chambers adjourned without a deal being reached, and no votes were expected until December 27. Top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer blasted the president and blamed him for provoking the shutdown: "President Trump, if you want to open the government abandon the wall, plain and simple." "The Trump shutdown isn't over border security; it's because President Trump is demanding billions of dollars for an expensive, ineffective wall that the majority of Americans don't support." Most critical US security functions remain operational, but 800,000 federal workers are impacted, with many furloughed just days before Christmas while others deemed essential are working unpaid. And as many other Americans and tourists began their end-of-the year holidays some national parks have shuttered completely, while others remain open but without any visitor services including restrooms and maintenance. New York's governor provided funding to the Statue of Liberty monument and Ellis Island so those key attractions could remain open. 'Dereliction of duty' It remains unclear how long the shutdown will last, with Washington unable to accomplish one of its most basic tasks -- keeping the government up and running. "This is a dereliction of duty by Congress and the president," said David Cox, national president of the American Federation of Government Employees. Trump's own Republican party still controls both the House and Senate, but in January the House comes under Democratic control. Governor Ralph Northam of Virginia -- a state bordering the US capital that is home to many federal workers -- urged Trump in a letter Saturday to push immediate action to end the shutdown, saying it "inflicts real harm" on workers. "I share your desire for strong economic growth throughout the United States, but the current partial government shutdown makes it harder to achieve this goal," the Democratic governor said. About three-quarters of the government, including the military and the Department of Health and Human Services, is fully funded until the end of September 2019, leaving 25 percent unfunded as of Saturday. Most NASA employees will be sent home, as will Commerce Department workers and many at the Departments of Homeland Security, Justice, Agriculture and State. Should they eventually strike a deal, it could swiftly clear Congress and reach the president's desk, said Senate Republican Bob Corker. One focus of discussion was the $1.6 billion in border security funding that was a part of pending Senate legislation, number two Senate Republican John Cornyn told AFP. 'No agreement' But conservatives in the House would likely balk at that figure. "There's no agreement," congressman Mark Meadows, chairman of the House Freedom Caucus of ultra-conservatives, told reporters as he left a closed-door meeting on the Capitol's Senate side. "There's a whole lot of numbers being thrown around," but a maximum $1.6 billion for border security "is not acceptable." Trump reversed course Thursday and rejected a measure that had unanimously passed the Senate and was under House consideration. It would have extended government funding until February 8, but contained no money for a border wall, a pet project Trump has fought for since his presidential campaign. Democrats painted Trump as the Grinch who stole the year-end deal. With lawmakers like Meadows and prominent conservative commentators demanding that the president stick to his campaign promises, Trump would not budge on his wall. The House swiftly passed a bill that fulfilled the president's demands. It included $5.7 billion in wall funding, and $7.8 billion in disaster relief. But it stalled at the first hurdle in the Senate.

Partial US government shutdown set to last through Christmas

United States President Donald Trump reportedly told his Mexican counterpart to tackle the &quot;bad hombres&quot; or they would have to intervene during a telephonic conversation last week.

Although it remains unclear as to who he meant by &quot;bad hombres&quot;, Mexican journalist Dol&iacute;a Est&eacute;vez said he was referring to the drug cartels operating in Mexico.

The transcript, based on a leaked White House document, documents Trump telling Mexican President&nbsp;Enrique Pe&ntilde;a Nieto: &quot;You have a bunch of bad hombres down there. You aren&rsquo;t doing enough to stop them. I think your military is scared. Our military isn&rsquo;t, so I just might send them down to take care of it.&rdquo;

The tone of the conversation also remains unknown, but the hint of US military&#39;s intervention might further sour relations between the two countries.

Mexico have however rejected the content of the conversation, again reiterating that the January 27 conversation between the two leaders were &quot;constructive&quot;.

Dol&iacute;a Est&eacute;vez, in his <a href="http://proyectopuente.com.mx/2017/02/01/necesitamos-a-mexico-dijo-trump-a-pena-nieto/">report</a>, suggested that Trump had suggested in a &quot;threatening note&quot; that if Mexico was unable to put down the drug cartels, he would be forced to send US troops to Mexico.

Relations between the two countries has deteriorated ever since Donald Trump took charge of White House.

Trump for long has promised to build a wall along the US-Mexico border and recently signed executive order to green-light its construction.

The decision has been met with severe criticism from Mexico, who has also rejected Trump&#39;s claim about it paying the cost of its construction.

Pe&ntilde;a Nieto had cancelled his meeting with Trump last week following the US president&#39;s willingness to build the 3,200-km border wall and for challenging him to cancel his trip to Washington.

The Donald Trump administration&nbsp;thought about levying a 20 per cent tax on goods imported from Mexico to finance the wall that will be built along the border, before backtracking on the idea saying it is one of the many ideas being mulled.

(WION)

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The US president reportedly told his Mexican counterpart on Jan 27 that he'll send troops to Mexico to tackle the drug cartels if they can't

United States President Donald Trump reportedly told his Mexican counterpart to tackle the "bad hombres" or they would have to intervene during a telephonic conversation last week. Although it remains unclear as to who he meant by "bad hombres", Mexican journalist Dolía Estévez said he was referring to the drug cartels operating in Mexico. The transcript, based on a leaked White House document, documents Trump telling Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto: "You have a bunch of bad hombres down there. You aren’t doing enough to stop them. I think your military is scared. Our military isn’t, so I just might send them down to take care of it.” The tone of the conversation also remains unknown, but the hint of US military's intervention might further sour relations between the two countries. Mexico have however rejected the content of the conversation, again reiterating that the January 27 conversation between the two leaders were "constructive". Dolía Estévez, in his report, suggested that Trump had suggested in a "threatening note" that if Mexico was unable to put down the drug cartels, he would be forced to send US troops to Mexico. Relations between the two countries has deteriorated ever since Donald Trump took charge of White House. Trump for long has promised to build a wall along the US-Mexico border and recently signed executive order to green-light its construction. The decision has been met with severe criticism from Mexico, who has also rejected Trump's claim about it paying the cost of its construction. Peña Nieto had cancelled his meeting with Trump last week following the US president's willingness to build the 3,200-km border wall and for challenging him to cancel his trip to Washington. The Donald Trump administration thought about levying a 20 per cent tax on goods imported from Mexico to finance the wall that will be built along the border, before backtracking on the idea saying it is one of the many ideas being mulled. (WION)

Tackle 'bad hombres' or we will: Trump tells Mexico

Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto and US President Donald Trump sought to tone down diplomatic tensions over the Republican&#39;s planned border wall on Friday, agreeing to seek a resolution to the thorny dispute.

One day after the spat boiled over, with Pena Nieto cancelling a trip to Washington next week in response to Trump&#39;s insistence that his country pay for the barrier, the two leaders held an hour-long phone conversation.

Trump described the talks as &quot;very friendly&quot; while the two governments issued a nearly similar statement saying it was &quot;constructive and productive.&quot;

The discussion capped a week that saw relations between the neighboring nations plunge into the biggest diplomatic crisis in decades as Pena Nieto vowed that Mexico will never pay for the border barrier.

While Trump and Pena Nieto &quot;recognized their clear and very public differences&quot; about who should pay for the wall, they agreed to &quot;resolve these differences as part of a comprehensive discussion on all aspects of the bilateral relation,&quot; the statement said.

But the Mexican government&#39;s version statement included a line missing from the White House text: &quot;The presidents also agreed for now to no longer speak publicly about this controversial issue.&quot;

Trump and Pena Nieto spoke about the US trade deficit with Mexico, &quot;the importance of the friendship between our nations&quot; and the need for the neighbors to work together to curb drug and weapons trafficking, the statement said.

Beat us to a pulp

Speaking at a press conference during talks with British Prime Minister Theresa May in Washington, Trump said he had a &quot;very good relationship&quot; with Pena Nieto.

The US leader said he looked forward to renegotiating trade deals and other aspects of US relations with Mexico.

&quot;As you know, Mexico with the United States has outnegotiated us and beat us to a pulp through our past leaders. They&#39;ve made us look foolish,&quot; he said, noting that the US has a $60 billion trade deficit with Mexico.

Trump wants to renegotiate the 23-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with Mexico and Canada.

Both Trump and Mexican officials have threatened to pull out of the pact if they fail to get a good deal.

&quot;We are going to be working on a fair relationship and a new relationship, but the United States cannot continue to lose,&quot; Trump said.

Before the phone call was made public, Trump had railed against Mexico on Twitter, saying the country &quot;has taken advantage of the US for long enough.&quot;

He complained about &quot;massive trade deficits&quot; and exclaimed that &quot;little help on the very weak border must change, NOW!&quot;

But he did not mention the wall payment.

Stiff tariff&nbsp;

The spat over the wall has created the biggest diplomatic rift since a drug cartel tortured and killed a US undercover agent in 1985.

Trump has angered Mexicans, perplexed economists and energized his nationalist political base by vowing to build a wall along the US frontier -- and then somehow to make Mexico pay for it.

Mexico&#39;s leaders have repeatedly said their country will never pay for the 2,000-mile (3,200-kilometer) border barrier that Trump says is needed to stop illegal immigrants and drug smugglers coming over.

Trump&#39;s response has been to ask the US Congress to find between $12-15 billion for construction and to help him find a way to recoup the money with some kind of tariff on Mexican imports.

His team have floated several ideas for how to do this. On Friday, for example, senior aide Kellyanne Conway told CBS television that a five to 20 percent tax may be imposed at the border.

On Thursday, White House spokesman Sean Spicer suggested that one option -- not necessarily the favored one -- would be a border adjustment tax of the kind favored by Republicans in the US Congress.

Visiting Washington on Thursday, Mexico&#39;s Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray scoffed at the notion, arguing that this would just pass the cost of the wall on to US consumers of Mexican goods.

Before Friday&#39;s phone call, Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo, who was with Videgaray in Washington this week, told the Televisa network that the two sides were &quot;at an impasse.&quot;

But the line of communication remains open, maintaining &quot;the possibility to find a solution,&quot; he said.

(AFP)

Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto and US President Donald Trump had an hour-long phone conversation to tone down rhetoric

Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto and US President Donald Trump sought to tone down diplomatic tensions over the Republican's planned border wall on Friday, agreeing to seek a resolution to the thorny dispute. One day after the spat boiled over, with Pena Nieto cancelling a trip to Washington next week in response to Trump's insistence that his country pay for the barrier, the two leaders held an hour-long phone conversation. Trump described the talks as "very friendly" while the two governments issued a nearly similar statement saying it was "constructive and productive." The discussion capped a week that saw relations between the neighboring nations plunge into the biggest diplomatic crisis in decades as Pena Nieto vowed that Mexico will never pay for the border barrier. While Trump and Pena Nieto "recognized their clear and very public differences" about who should pay for the wall, they agreed to "resolve these differences as part of a comprehensive discussion on all aspects of the bilateral relation," the statement said. But the Mexican government's version statement included a line missing from the White House text: "The presidents also agreed for now to no longer speak publicly about this controversial issue." Trump and Pena Nieto spoke about the US trade deficit with Mexico, "the importance of the friendship between our nations" and the need for the neighbors to work together to curb drug and weapons trafficking, the statement said. Beat us to a pulp Speaking at a press conference during talks with British Prime Minister Theresa May in Washington, Trump said he had a "very good relationship" with Pena Nieto. The US leader said he looked forward to renegotiating trade deals and other aspects of US relations with Mexico. "As you know, Mexico with the United States has outnegotiated us and beat us to a pulp through our past leaders. They've made us look foolish," he said, noting that the US has a $60 billion trade deficit with Mexico. Trump wants to renegotiate the 23-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with Mexico and Canada. Both Trump and Mexican officials have threatened to pull out of the pact if they fail to get a good deal. "We are going to be working on a fair relationship and a new relationship, but the United States cannot continue to lose," Trump said. Before the phone call was made public, Trump had railed against Mexico on Twitter, saying the country "has taken advantage of the US for long enough." He complained about "massive trade deficits" and exclaimed that "little help on the very weak border must change, NOW!" But he did not mention the wall payment. Stiff tariff The spat over the wall has created the biggest diplomatic rift since a drug cartel tortured and killed a US undercover agent in 1985. Trump has angered Mexicans, perplexed economists and energized his nationalist political base by vowing to build a wall along the US frontier -- and then somehow to make Mexico pay for it. Mexico's leaders have repeatedly said their country will never pay for the 2,000-mile (3,200-kilometer) border barrier that Trump says is needed to stop illegal immigrants and drug smugglers coming over. Trump's response has been to ask the US Congress to find between $12-15 billion for construction and to help him find a way to recoup the money with some kind of tariff on Mexican imports. His team have floated several ideas for how to do this. On Friday, for example, senior aide Kellyanne Conway told CBS television that a five to 20 percent tax may be imposed at the border. On Thursday, White House spokesman Sean Spicer suggested that one option -- not necessarily the favored one -- would be a border adjustment tax of the kind favored by Republicans in the US Congress. Visiting Washington on Thursday, Mexico's Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray scoffed at the notion, arguing that this would just pass the cost of the wall on to US consumers of Mexican goods. Before Friday's phone call, Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo, who was with Videgaray in Washington this week, told the Televisa network that the two sides were "at an impasse." But the line of communication remains open, maintaining "the possibility to find a solution," he said. (AFP)

US, Mexico hold talks to mend fences after wall bluster

The Donald Trump administration&nbsp;thought about levying a 20 per cent tax on goods imported from Mexico to finance the wall that will be built along the border, before backtracking on the idea saying it is one of the many ideas being mulled.

White House press secretary Sean Spicer had said the proposed tax would raise $10 billion a year which would &quot;easily pay for the wall&quot;.

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<h5>Any policy proposal which drives up costs of Corona, tequila, or margaritas is a big-time bad idea. Mucho Sad,&#39; Senator Lindsay Graham tweeted</h5>
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But minutes later, the Trump administration rowed back on the idea amidst a fierce blowblack from politicians and the retail industry.

&quot;When you look at tariffs and repercussions you get from countries that you use your tariffs against, there is always the potential response for retaliation, which normally doesn&#39;t support good economic growth,&quot; said Republican Congressman Mark Meadows.

Senator Lindsay Graham was a little more colourful.

&quot;Any policy proposal which drives up costs of Corona, tequila, or margaritas is a big-time bad idea. Mucho Sad,&quot; he tweeted.

The idea is also fiercely opposed by big retailers like Walmart who would see the cost of their imported products go up.

And any such tariff would likely prompt legal action and retaliatory measures from Europe or others at the World Trade Organization.

If implemented, the latest plan of action is set to deepen the mistrust between the Trump administration and the Mexican government, and comes hours after President&nbsp;Enrique Pena Nieto on Thursday called off a visit to Washington set for next week.

While Mexico has refused point-blank to bankroll the wall, the Trump administration is adamant that Washington&#39;s southern neighbour will pay for the wall.

Trump Wednesday (January 25) insisted that Mexico will pay for the wall, telling ABC they would be reimbursed &quot;absolutely 100 per cent&quot;.

&quot;Ultimately it will come out of what&#39;s happening with Mexico, we&#39;re going to be starting those negotiations relatively soon. And we will be, in a form, reimbursed by Mexico,&quot;&nbsp;Trump had said in an interview to the ABC network.

On Wednesday,&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;signed an executive order telling officials to begin to &quot;plan, design and construct a physical wall&quot; along the 2,000-mile (3,200-kilometer) US-Mexico border, sticking to his controversial campaign pledge.

Trump&#39;s project is aimed at clamping down on illegal immigration from Mexico.&nbsp;

Trump says the wall would cost $8 billion, but other estimates suggest that it will cost almost double that amount.

&quot;A nation without borders is not a nation,&quot;&nbsp;Trump had said Wednesday as he&nbsp;visited the Department of Homeland Security to sign two executive orders.

The building of the wall has split opinions in the US.&nbsp;Forty seven per cent of the people support the move while 45 per cent are against it, according to&nbsp;Morning Consult/Politico poll released on Wednesday, underscoring the controversial nature of the decision.

(WION with inputs from AFP)

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The US president quickly backtracked on the idea amidst a fierce blowback from politicians and the retail industry

The Donald Trump administration thought about levying a 20 per cent tax on goods imported from Mexico to finance the wall that will be built along the border, before backtracking on the idea saying it is one of the many ideas being mulled. White House press secretary Sean Spicer had said the proposed tax would raise $10 billion a year which would "easily pay for the wall". Any policy proposal which drives up costs of Corona, tequila, or margaritas is a big-time bad idea. Mucho Sad,' Senator Lindsay Graham tweeted × But minutes later, the Trump administration rowed back on the idea amidst a fierce blowblack from politicians and the retail industry. "When you look at tariffs and repercussions you get from countries that you use your tariffs against, there is always the potential response for retaliation, which normally doesn't support good economic growth," said Republican Congressman Mark Meadows. Senator Lindsay Graham was a little more colourful. "Any policy proposal which drives up costs of Corona, tequila, or margaritas is a big-time bad idea. Mucho Sad," he tweeted. The idea is also fiercely opposed by big retailers like Walmart who would see the cost of their imported products go up. And any such tariff would likely prompt legal action and retaliatory measures from Europe or others at the World Trade Organization. If implemented, the latest plan of action is set to deepen the mistrust between the Trump administration and the Mexican government, and comes hours after President Enrique Pena Nieto on Thursday called off a visit to Washington set for next week. While Mexico has refused point-blank to bankroll the wall, the Trump administration is adamant that Washington's southern neighbour will pay for the wall. Trump Wednesday (January 25) insisted that Mexico will pay for the wall, telling ABC they would be reimbursed "absolutely 100 per cent". "Ultimately it will come out of what's happening with Mexico, we're going to be starting those negotiations relatively soon. And we will be, in a form, reimbursed by Mexico," Trump had said in an interview to the ABC network. On Wednesday, Trump signed an executive order telling officials to begin to "plan, design and construct a physical wall" along the 2,000-mile (3,200-kilometer) US-Mexico border, sticking to his controversial campaign pledge. Trump's project is aimed at clamping down on illegal immigration from Mexico. Trump says the wall would cost $8 billion, but other estimates suggest that it will cost almost double that amount. "A nation without borders is not a nation," Trump had said Wednesday as he visited the Department of Homeland Security to sign two executive orders. The building of the wall has split opinions in the US. Forty seven per cent of the people support the move while 45 per cent are against it, according to Morning Consult/Politico poll released on Wednesday, underscoring the controversial nature of the decision. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Trump mulls 20% tax on imported Mexican goods to finance wall

President Donald Trump has signed an executive order designed to start fulfilling his campaign pledge to build a wall along the US border with Mexico. The stated goal of this gargantuan project is to keep out undocumented migrants, drugs and criminals. Here is a look at the feasibility of erecting such a barrier.

&nbsp;

How much would it cost?

Billions. But exactly how much is not known.

Part of the 2,000 mile (3,200 kilometre) border -- 653 miles of it, to be exact -- already features fencing that blocks people and/or vehicles. But just building 413 more miles of fencing would cost $11.4 billion, according to the Washington Office on Latin America, a non-profit research and rights group that quoted an estimate by US Customs and Border Protection.

Trump himself has been vague about the cost. His estimates have ranged from $4 billion to &quot;around $10 billion.&quot; But architects and engineers have said it would cost much, much more.

In an article entitled &quot;Bad Math Props up Trump&#39;s Border Wall,&quot; MIT Technology Review estimated late last year that a 1,000 mile steel and concrete wall would cost $27 to $40 billion.

The review put it this way: &quot;Set aside the questions of whether it&#39;s wise to put a wall along the US-Mexico border or who should pay for it. It simply can&#39;t be done at the price Donald Trump has claimed.&quot;

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
This is most obviously a boondoggle. Watch for who profits. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TrumpCrimeFamily?src=hash">#TrumpCrimeFamily</a> <a href="https://t.co/hnTlgM0aTf">https://t.co/hnTlgM0aTf</a>
&mdash; meta (@metaquest) <a href="https://twitter.com/metaquest/status/824433697159942144">January 26, 2017</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

Where would he get the money from?

This is not very clear, either. &nbsp;For now, the White House can only divert existing funds toward the project. The Republican-controlled Congress would need to supply new money if the wall is to be anywhere near completed. And Trump&#39;s party has spent the last decade preaching fiscal prudence.

Trump&#39;s executive order instructs Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly to: &quot;Identify and, to the extent permitted by law, allocate all sources of Federal funds for the planning, designing, and constructing of a physical wall along the southern border.&quot;

It also requests that he: &quot;Project and develop long-term funding requirements for the wall, including preparing Congressional budget requests for the current and upcoming fiscal years.&quot;

&quot;There are a lot of funding mechanisms that can be used,&quot; White House spokesman Sean Spicer said Wednesday.

&quot;At this point his goal is to get the project started as quickly as possible using funds and resources that the department currently has, and then to move forward and work with congress on an appropriations schedule,&quot; Spicer said.

Trump has vowed repeatedly to make Mexico pay for the wall, perhaps by dipping into the remittances that Mexican migrants send home. These totalled $25 billion last year. But Mexico has categorically ruled out paying for the wall or reimbursing the United States for it.

&nbsp;

What would it be like?

Trump&#39;s executive order defines the proposed wall as &quot;a contiguous, physical wall or other similarly secure, contiguous, and impassable physical barrier&quot;.

At one point Trump had called for prefabricated concrete panels reinforced with steel rods, heavy materials that present immense logistical challenges: paving roads for access, building multiple sites for pouring concrete and hiring armies of workers over several years.

The wall would require foundations deep enough to ensure stability and discourage tunneling. Again, that means lots of money.&nbsp;

A 40-foot concrete wall using a &quot;post and panel&quot; system sunk 10 feet below ground would cost at least $26 billion, according to Todd Sternfeld, CEO of a Texas company that makes precast concrete fence and barrier products.

&nbsp;

Other obstacles to the wall

Take the Rio Grande River, for instance. It forms the natural border between Mexico and Texas. Laws prohibit construction that would impede flood management or interfere with the sharing of resources.&nbsp;And a treaty bars either country from diverting any flow of water.

What is more, Trump cannot just do as he pleases with the land along the border because much of it is privately owned. So building a wall would entail messy legal proceedings, political blowback, and substantial expropriation payments.

&nbsp;

Do Americans like the idea?

They seem divided by the wall. A Morning Consult/Politico poll released Wednesday said 47 per cent of voters support building a wall, with 45 per cent against.

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Shout out to the protesters flooding NYC&#39;s Washington Square to protest Trump&#39;s US-Mexico border wall &amp; mass deportations<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NoBanNoWall?src=hash">#NoBanNoWall</a> <a href="https://t.co/8DRTb3mZuY">pic.twitter.com/8DRTb3mZuY</a>
&mdash; Jonathan Riley (@JonRiley7) <a href="https://twitter.com/JonRiley7/status/824440777040203776">January 26, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Critics say the wall proposal is pointless because, among other things, most drugs smuggled into the United States pass through legal entry points and are not transported through the desert.

And if the goal is to keep out unauthorized migrants, that flow is already down to near the level of the early 1970s, according to the Washington Office on Latin America.

(AFP)

Will the wall along the Mexican border be a panacea to all ills or will it be an expensive blunder?

President Donald Trump has signed an executive order designed to start fulfilling his campaign pledge to build a wall along the US border with Mexico. The stated goal of this gargantuan project is to keep out undocumented migrants, drugs and criminals. Here is a look at the feasibility of erecting such a barrier. How much would it cost? Billions. But exactly how much is not known. Part of the 2,000 mile (3,200 kilometre) border -- 653 miles of it, to be exact -- already features fencing that blocks people and/or vehicles. But just building 413 more miles of fencing would cost $11.4 billion, according to the Washington Office on Latin America, a non-profit research and rights group that quoted an estimate by US Customs and Border Protection. Trump himself has been vague about the cost. His estimates have ranged from $4 billion to "around $10 billion." But architects and engineers have said it would cost much, much more. In an article entitled "Bad Math Props up Trump's Border Wall," MIT Technology Review estimated late last year that a 1,000 mile steel and concrete wall would cost $27 to $40 billion. The review put it this way: "Set aside the questions of whether it's wise to put a wall along the US-Mexico border or who should pay for it. It simply can't be done at the price Donald Trump has claimed." This is most obviously a boondoggle. Watch for who profits. #TrumpCrimeFamily https://t.co/hnTlgM0aTf — meta (@metaquest) January 26, 2017 × Where would he get the money from? This is not very clear, either. For now, the White House can only divert existing funds toward the project. The Republican-controlled Congress would need to supply new money if the wall is to be anywhere near completed. And Trump's party has spent the last decade preaching fiscal prudence. Trump's executive order instructs Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly to: "Identify and, to the extent permitted by law, allocate all sources of Federal funds for the planning, designing, and constructing of a physical wall along the southern border." It also requests that he: "Project and develop long-term funding requirements for the wall, including preparing Congressional budget requests for the current and upcoming fiscal years." "There are a lot of funding mechanisms that can be used," White House spokesman Sean Spicer said Wednesday. "At this point his goal is to get the project started as quickly as possible using funds and resources that the department currently has, and then to move forward and work with congress on an appropriations schedule," Spicer said. Trump has vowed repeatedly to make Mexico pay for the wall, perhaps by dipping into the remittances that Mexican migrants send home. These totalled $25 billion last year. But Mexico has categorically ruled out paying for the wall or reimbursing the United States for it. What would it be like? Trump's executive order defines the proposed wall as "a contiguous, physical wall or other similarly secure, contiguous, and impassable physical barrier". At one point Trump had called for prefabricated concrete panels reinforced with steel rods, heavy materials that present immense logistical challenges: paving roads for access, building multiple sites for pouring concrete and hiring armies of workers over several years. The wall would require foundations deep enough to ensure stability and discourage tunneling. Again, that means lots of money. A 40-foot concrete wall using a "post and panel" system sunk 10 feet below ground would cost at least $26 billion, according to Todd Sternfeld, CEO of a Texas company that makes precast concrete fence and barrier products. Other obstacles to the wall Take the Rio Grande River, for instance. It forms the natural border between Mexico and Texas. Laws prohibit construction that would impede flood management or interfere with the sharing of resources. And a treaty bars either country from diverting any flow of water. What is more, Trump cannot just do as he pleases with the land along the border because much of it is privately owned. So building a wall would entail messy legal proceedings, political blowback, and substantial expropriation payments. Do Americans like the idea? They seem divided by the wall. A Morning Consult/Politico poll released Wednesday said 47 per cent of voters support building a wall, with 45 per cent against. Shout out to the protesters flooding NYC's Washington Square to protest Trump's US-Mexico border wall & mass deportations#NoBanNoWall pic.twitter.com/8DRTb3mZuY — Jonathan Riley (@JonRiley7) January 26, 2017 × Critics say the wall proposal is pointless because, among other things, most drugs smuggled into the United States pass through legal entry points and are not transported through the desert. And if the goal is to keep out unauthorized migrants, that flow is already down to near the level of the early 1970s, according to the Washington Office on Latin America. (AFP)

All you need to know about Trump's wall

Mexican opposition figures urged President Enrique Pena Nieto on Wednesday to cancel next week&#39;s meeting with US President Donald Trump to protest his wall while everyday Mexicans voiced concern about tighter border security.

&quot;The announcement of @realDonaldTrump&#39;s wall before the visit of @EPN (Pena Nieto) is an affront to Mexico,&quot; Margarita Zavala, a potential 2018 presidential candidate of the conservative National Action Party (PAN), wrote on Twitter.

&quot;The visit must be reconsidered,&quot; Zavala said hours before Trump&#39;s announcement, adding in Spanish a hashtag that translates to &quot;no to the wall&quot;.

Making good on a campaign promise, Trump ordered work to begin on designing and building the wall as Mexico&#39;s foreign and economy ministers were in Washington to prepare Pena Nieto&#39;s own visit on January 31. Their meetings continue on Thursday.

The US leader repeated his vow to make Mexico reimburse the cost of building the massive barrier across the 2,000-mile (3,200-kilometre) stretch.

Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo warned on Tuesday that Mexico could pull out of negotiations with the Trump administration if it insists on making his government pay for the wall, including by tapping remittances that migrants send home.

Pena Nieto&#39;s spokesman, Eduardo Sanchez, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The last time Pena Nieto met with Trump, things did not go well for the Mexican leader.

Pena Nieto came under massive criticism at home for hosting the Republican billionaire during the US presidential election in August even though Trump had called Mexican migrants &quot;rapists&quot; and drug runners.

Now, he is under pressure to avoid meeting Trump again, with Senator Miguel Barbosa, of the leftist Democratic Revolution Party (PRD), saying Pena Nieto should not negotiate &quot;under pressure&quot; or let Trump &quot;impose his conditions&quot;.

Barbosa described the wall and measures against &quot;sanctuary&quot; US cities that protect migrants from deportation as &quot;acts of aggression against Mexico, against Latin America, against the world, against freedom&quot;.

Fellow PRD Senator Armando Rios Piter called the wall announcement a &quot;hostile act&quot; that should prompt Pena Nieto to scrap his trip.

&nbsp;

Mexicans worry about tighter border

At the busy border crossing in the northwestern city of Tijuana, Julian Tamayo was sitting in a long line of cars with his wife and daughter to go to the US city of San Diego, where he works.

&quot;Many of the (border) guards are very despotic and arrogant, and Trump is giving them carte blanche to be even more so,&quot; Tamayo, 49, told AFP.

Hector Renteria, a 29-year-old architecture student who was also waiting to cross the border, said the wall is not useful because migrants will &quot;find other ways to cross&quot; illegally. Renteria worried that the wall will &quot;affect traffic more and (border) checks will be stricter&quot;.

&nbsp;

Fox&#39;s F-bomb

Other political stalwarts urged Pena Nieto to stand up to Trump during his visit.

Two-time presidential election runner-up Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador exhorted Pena Nieto to lodge a complaint against the US government at the United Nations for &quot;violation of human rights and racial discrimination&quot;.

He said Pena Nieto should go to Washington to deliver the complaint to Trump and to &quot;fight for freedom, not beg for it&quot;.

Pena Nieto vowed on Monday that there would be &quot;neither confrontation nor submission&quot; in the negotiations with the Trump administration, which will include trade, immigration and other issues.

Former president Vicente Fox, meanwhile, used an expletive yet again on Twitter to tell the White House&#39;s spokesman that Mexico will not pay for the wall.

&quot;Sean Spicer, I&#39;ve said this to realDonaldTrump and now I&#39;ll tell you: Mexico is not going to pay for that fucking wall,&quot; Fox thundered.

(AFP)

The Mexican opposition has called the wall construction an 'affront' and urged President Pena Nieto to dump the meeting with Trump

Mexican opposition figures urged President Enrique Pena Nieto on Wednesday to cancel next week's meeting with US President Donald Trump to protest his wall while everyday Mexicans voiced concern about tighter border security. "The announcement of @realDonaldTrump's wall before the visit of @EPN (Pena Nieto) is an affront to Mexico," Margarita Zavala, a potential 2018 presidential candidate of the conservative National Action Party (PAN), wrote on Twitter. "The visit must be reconsidered," Zavala said hours before Trump's announcement, adding in Spanish a hashtag that translates to "no to the wall". Making good on a campaign promise, Trump ordered work to begin on designing and building the wall as Mexico's foreign and economy ministers were in Washington to prepare Pena Nieto's own visit on January 31. Their meetings continue on Thursday. The US leader repeated his vow to make Mexico reimburse the cost of building the massive barrier across the 2,000-mile (3,200-kilometre) stretch. Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo warned on Tuesday that Mexico could pull out of negotiations with the Trump administration if it insists on making his government pay for the wall, including by tapping remittances that migrants send home. Pena Nieto's spokesman, Eduardo Sanchez, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The last time Pena Nieto met with Trump, things did not go well for the Mexican leader. Pena Nieto came under massive criticism at home for hosting the Republican billionaire during the US presidential election in August even though Trump had called Mexican migrants "rapists" and drug runners. Now, he is under pressure to avoid meeting Trump again, with Senator Miguel Barbosa, of the leftist Democratic Revolution Party (PRD), saying Pena Nieto should not negotiate "under pressure" or let Trump "impose his conditions". Barbosa described the wall and measures against "sanctuary" US cities that protect migrants from deportation as "acts of aggression against Mexico, against Latin America, against the world, against freedom". Fellow PRD Senator Armando Rios Piter called the wall announcement a "hostile act" that should prompt Pena Nieto to scrap his trip. Mexicans worry about tighter border At the busy border crossing in the northwestern city of Tijuana, Julian Tamayo was sitting in a long line of cars with his wife and daughter to go to the US city of San Diego, where he works. "Many of the (border) guards are very despotic and arrogant, and Trump is giving them carte blanche to be even more so," Tamayo, 49, told AFP. Hector Renteria, a 29-year-old architecture student who was also waiting to cross the border, said the wall is not useful because migrants will "find other ways to cross" illegally. Renteria worried that the wall will "affect traffic more and (border) checks will be stricter". Fox's F-bomb Other political stalwarts urged Pena Nieto to stand up to Trump during his visit. Two-time presidential election runner-up Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador exhorted Pena Nieto to lodge a complaint against the US government at the United Nations for "violation of human rights and racial discrimination". He said Pena Nieto should go to Washington to deliver the complaint to Trump and to "fight for freedom, not beg for it". Pena Nieto vowed on Monday that there would be "neither confrontation nor submission" in the negotiations with the Trump administration, which will include trade, immigration and other issues. Former president Vicente Fox, meanwhile, used an expletive yet again on Twitter to tell the White House's spokesman that Mexico will not pay for the wall. "Sean Spicer, I've said this to realDonaldTrump and now I'll tell you: Mexico is not going to pay for that fucking wall," Fox thundered. (AFP)

Trump's border wall decision hacks off Mexicans

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