Tillerson and Kelly meet with Peña Nieto today

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That's the backdrop as Tillerson and Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly arrive in Mexico for meetings with Peña Nieto, Mexican ministers and military officials. The trip is meant to allow the new US Cabinet members to establish relationships and coordinate on bilateral issues that range from counterterrorism, border security, immigration and trade that amounts to $1.5 billion a day. But the secretaries make their debut under a cloud.


"Today's rhetoric is forcing Mexicans everywhere to question the unquestionable: Did the country make a mistake 25 years ago by betting its future on North America?" asked Peter Schecter, director of the Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center at the Atlantic Council. "No relationship is perfect, and there is much to develop and improve in Mexico. But by ostracizing our neighbor, we are in imminent danger of dismantling the North American experiment we've built over the last 20-plus years."


In a reflection of how broad the US-Mexico relationship is, Tillerson and Kelly will meet with the Mexican ministers of Interior, Foreign Relations, Finance, National Defense and Navy.


Their trip takes place a day after the Trump administration announced new and aggressive immigration enforcement procedures that could dramatically expand the number of people detained and deported, and directly impact Mexico.

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