If President Trump goes through with his threat to shut down the U.S.-Mexico border, you can say adios to avocados and tequila.
The U.S. imports $137 billion in food from its southern border, including avocados, limes, and tequila, but saving taco Tuesday isn’t the only reason Trump should ignore his appetite for revenge on Democrats. He should curb his threats for the economy’s sake.
Auto plants across the U.S. depend on parts imported from Mexico, and an executive at the Center for Automotive Research told CNN Business that closing the border would bring the entire industry screeching to a halt within a week.
Also, according to the Department of Agriculture, close to half of the vegetables the U.S. imports and 40 percent of its fruits (including avocados) come from Mexico.
Business groups and politicians alike are outraged at the damage a border closure would do to the economy. Even Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has criticized the plan. White House officials are also concerned, at least, about crushing billions of dollars in trade, and some of them are reportedly looking for exemptions for commerce.
But Trump knows closing the border will cost the economy, and he doesn’t care. “Security is more important to me than trade,” he said. We don’t have to pick one or the other, though.
It’s no secret that Trump isn’t the negotiator he promised he’d be, and the fight over the southern border is no exception. If he wants to stop illegal immigration, he needs to display more gamesmanship. Threatening the entire economy, and taco Tuesday, is not the way to do it.
[Read more: Sarah Sanders: Democrats leaving Trump ‘no choice’ in Mexico border closure dispute]
