Self-Inflicted Wound to the US Economy
No
way to close the US-Mexico border
Without
inflicting serious damage to US economy
The
National Retail Federation (NRF) sent a letter to Trump administration
officials expressing concerns over ongoing threats to close the United
States-Mexico border and outlining how a closure would hurt U.S. retailers,
workers and consumers.
“We
share the administration’s goal of fixing the nation’s broken immigration
system and enhancing border security,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said.
“However, there is no way to close the U.S-Mexico border without inflicting
serious damage to the American economy.”
U.S.
trade with Mexico exceeds $1.7 billion each day. American retailers and
consumers rely on Mexico for many products. “Closing the border for any length
of time would result in significant supply chain disruptions for U.S.
retailers,” Shay said.
“These disruptions would reverberate throughout the
supply chain, impacting everyone from truckers to warehouse workers whose jobs
depend on the two-way trade with Mexico.
The end result would be job losses,
factory shutdowns, increased consumer costs and reduced product availability across
the country.”
Shay
warned that retailers large and small in border communities would see a
significant reduction in daily sales from a border shutdown.
“Thousands
of people who rely on legal border crossings every day would no longer be able
to get to work or shop in nearby stores,” Shay said. “For retailers in U.S.
border communities, this would ultimately mean workforce disruptions and
reduced sales. American small businesses in those communities would face a
disproportionate burden, as many smaller stores depend on legitimate travel
across borders for up to half of their daily sales.”
“We
do not believe any type of border closure would address the ongoing immigration
issues facing both Mexico and the U.S.,” Shay said. “Congress and the
administration, as well as the U.S. and Mexico, must continue to work together
to resolve this challenging issue. Resorting to a border closure would merely
be a self-inflicted wound to the American economy.”
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