Mexican president Enrique Pena Nieto 'considering' scrapping Donald Trump visit over US border wall order

Jamie Bullen26 January 2017

A senior Mexican government official said the country’s president is “considering” scrapping a visit to meet Donald Trump over his order to build a border wall.

Mexicans have reacted with outrage after Mr Trump signed executive actions to jump-start construction of a wall between the countries which he has promised Mexico will fund.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Associated Press that Enrique Pena Nieto is now rethinking his scheduled visit to Washington on Tuesday in light of calls for him to cancel.

It comes after Mr Trump declared: “Beginning today, the United States of America gets back control of its borders," during a visit to the Department of Homeland Security.

Executive decision: President Donald Trump has been busy signing orders this week
Getty Images

He issued an order for an “impassable physical barrier” to be built along the US border and signed an action to strip funds from US cities that provide sanctuaries for undocumented migrants.

While Mr Trump has repeatedly promised that Mexico will pay for it, US taxpayers are expected to cover the initial costs and the new administration has said nothing about how it will compel Mexico to reimburse the money.

In an interview with ABC News earlier on Wednesday, Mr Trump said: "There will be a payment; it will be in a form, perhaps a complicated form."

Building a wall along the US-Mexican border was a key campaign pledge made by the real estate tycoon.

Later in the week, Mr Trump is expected to sign orders restricting the flow of refugees into the United States.

His current proposal includes at least a four-month halt on all refugee admissions, as well as a temporary ban on people coming from some Muslim-majority countries, according to a source from a public policy organisation that monitors refugee issues.

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