Mexico will not pay for wall

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump on Wednesday ordered work to begin on building a wall across the Mexican border, angering his southern neighbour with his hardline stance on immigration.

The US leader instructed officials to begin to “plan, design and construct a physical wall along the southern border” and – perhaps more problematically – see how it could be funded.

“A nation without borders is not a nation,” Trump said, echoing former president Ronald Reagan, as he visited the Department of Homeland Security to sign two executive orders.

“Beginning today, the United States of America gets back control of its borders,” the Republican president said.

Hours later, Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto ( pix) demanded “respect” for his country in a nationally televised address.

“I regret and condemn the decision of the United States to continue construction of a wall that, for years, has divided us instead of uniting us,” Pena Nieto said.

“I have said it time and again: Mexico will not pay for any wall,” he said.

A Mexican official said that Pena Nieto will weigh in the coming days whether to maintain a meeting with Trump in Washington on Tuesday.

Stemming immigration was a central plank of Trump’s election campaign. His signature policy prescription was to build a wall across the 3,200km border between the US and Mexico.

Some of the border is already fenced, but Trump says a wall is needed to stop illegal immigrants entering from Latin America.

The policy has become a clarion call for the right and far-right – the core of Trump’s support.

A Morning Consult/Politico poll released Wednesday said 47% of voters support building a wall, with 45% against.

Experts have voiced doubts about whether a wall would actually slow illegal immigration, or if it is worth the billions it is expected to cost.

“I suspect that a lot of Trump supporters would be just as happy with a big statue of a middle finger pointed south,” said Congressman Luis Gutierrez.

“Both are about equally effective as national security strategies.”

Trump is also poised today to suspend the US refugee programme for four months and to halt visas for travellers from seven Muslim countries, US media said. – AFP