US reaches agreement with Mexico on immigration, 'indefinitely' suspends tariffs

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said on Friday that  Mexico`s government had reached a deal with the United States to avert a tariff war by pledging to take "strong measures" to contain migration of mostly Central Americans crossing the southern US border.

Trump had threatened to impose 5% import tariffs on all Mexican goods from Monday if Mexico did not agree to his demands to tighten its borders, and his announcement of a deal came after three days of Mexico-US negotiations in Washington.

"The Tariffs scheduled to be implemented by the US on Monday, against Mexico, are hereby indefinitely suspended," Trump said on Twitter on Friday evening.

"Mexico, in turn, has agreed to take strong measures to stem the tide of Migration through Mexico, and to our Southern Border. This is being done to greatly reduce, or eliminate, Illegal Immigration coming from Mexico and into the United States," Trump added.

Details of the agreement would be released shortly by the US State Department, Trump said.

US border officers apprehended more than 132,000 people crossing from Mexico in May, the highest monthly level since 2006, and Trump, who has railed against what he describes as an "invasion," had threatened to impose levies rising to 25% unless Mexico addressed the problem.

Mexico made concessions during the talks, offering to send 6,000 troops to its southern border with Guatemala, but has also said it wants to see a long-term solution that would involve economic development aid.