Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Tuesday hit back at the Trump administration’s “discriminatory” mass deportation ads by banning all U.S. “propaganda” with anti-migrant sentiment.
Her response came after the U.S. government broadcast a threatening video of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Mexican national television.
“If you are considering entering America illegally, don’t even think about it,” Noem said in the video. “Let me be clear: If you come to our country and break our laws, we will hunt you down. Criminals are not welcome in the U.S.”
Sheinbaum blasted President Donald Trump’s approach and set a law in motion that would prohibit foreign governments from buying politically driven spots.
“We don’t want any foreign government or entity to pay—because they are paying—to promote these ads, this propaganda that has a discriminatory message,” she said in a Monday press conference.
She added that the ads were reviewed by Conapred, the Mexican federal agency designed to eliminate discrimination.
Conapred has received complaints about the ad for over a month, but chaos ensued when it ran during a Mexican league soccer game, which typically attracts a big audience.
“We have found in our analysis that the TV spot has a discriminatory message that places human dignity in jeopardy and could encourage rejection and violence against migrants,” the agency said in a letter sent to Mexican broadcasters. “We invite you to remove the spot so we can continue to construct a society free of discrimination, as our constitution mandates.”
On Monday Sheinbaum said she agreed with the assessment and ordered Mexico’s congress to forever outlaw the broadcast, which included images of handcuffed migrants forced into police cars and crowds rushing the U.S.-Mexico border wall.
For years, the Mexican government had barred all foreign political propaganda. But in 2014 that law was repealed. That’s why the U.S. government was able to air its multimillion-dollar ad and spread its message south of the border.
Now Sheinbaum’s ruling will revive the ban.
“It shouldn’t have been removed… we believe that our sovereignty and respect for Mexico warrant reinstating it into the law,” she said.
The Department of Homeland Security announced the “international, multi-million dollar” campaign in mid-March. It aimed to encourage self-deportation and intimidate anyone thinking of violating U.S. border laws.
“President Trump has a clear message: if you are here illegally, we will find you and deport you. You will never return,” Noem said a March 15 statement. “But if you leave now, you may have an opportunity to return and enjoy our freedom and live the American dream.”
The face-off comes as Trump escalates threats of a trade war on Mexico, promising to increase taxes if Sheinbaum doesn’t rein in illegal migration.
On Thursday he warned Mexico that he would impose additional tariffs due to a long-running water dispute related to a 1944 treaty.
The two spoke last week but Sheinbaum said they have yet to come to any agreement.
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