origin. Considering that around half of Mexican immigrants are here legally, and that legal immigrants earn more money than undocumented ones, it is likely that a large percentage of that $22 billion is derived from legal wages, not illegal ones. But that plan faces multiple issues. “[It] turn Western Union cashier's 8 into de facto immigration officials.” Mr. Trump overstates the amount of remittances from illegal immigrants in the U.S. to Mexico, but he is also ignoring how wire transfers are becoming a smaller part of the process. He is going to have to hope his other plans—including fees hikes on NAFTA worker visas from Mexico—can convince the Mexican government to pay for the wall because remittance blockades will most likely be less restrictive than the theoretical border wall.9 3. Additionally Mr. Trump wants to finance his proposal increasing fees on all temporary visas issued to Mexican CEOs and diplomats, increasing fees at ports of entry between the United States and Mexico as 10 well as on border crossing cards. About a million people cross the southwest U.S. border in either direction on any given day. Many are small-time traders. “If a fee were put on of, say, $50 per Mexican, many stores along the border would collapse,” said Moreno, the expert from the National School of 11 Anthropology and History. The result of the policies offered by Mr. Trump will most likely reduce trade between Mexico and the United States. For context, according to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, American goods and private services trade with Mexico totaled an estimated $536 billion in 2012. Exports totaled $243 billion; Imports totaled $293 billion. The U.S. goods and services trade deficit with Mexico was $49 billion in 12 2012. Mexico is currently America's 3rd largest goods trading partner with $507 billion in total goods trade during 2013. Goods exports totaled $226 billion; Goods imports totaled $280 billion. The U.S. goods 13 trade deficit with Mexico was $54 billion in 2013. Trade in private services with Mexico (exports and imports) totaled an estimated $42 billion in 2012 (latest data available). Services exports were $27 billion; Services imports were $15 billion. The U.S. services trade surplus with Mexico was $12 billion in 2012. Mexico was the United States’ 2nd largest goods export market in 2013. U.S. goods exports to Mexico in 2013 were $226.2 billion, up 4.7% ($10.2 billion) from 2012, and up 132% from 2003. It is up 444% since 1993 (Pre-NAFTA). U.S. exports to Mexico accounted for 14.3% of overall U.S. exports in 2013.The top export categories (2-digit HS) in 2013 were: Machinery ($38.5 billion), Electrical Machinery ($36.7 billion), Mineral Fuel and Oil ($23.0 billion), Vehicles ($21.6 billion), and Plastic ($15.3 billion). U.S. exports of agricultural products to Mexico totaled $18.1 billion in 2013, the 3rd largest U.S. Ag export market. Leading categories include: corn ($1.8 billion), soybeans ($1.5 billion), dairy products ($1.4 billion), pork and pork products ($1.2 billion), and poultry meat (excluding eggs) ($1.2 billion). U.S. exports of private commercial services* 8 Vinik, Danny, “Donald Trump’s imaginary immigration haul,” Politico, August 8, 2015. Available at: http://www.politico.com/agenda/story/2015/08/donald-trumps-imaginary-immigration-haul-000202 9 Primack, Dan, “Donald Trump’s plan to pay for Mexico border wall has a tech problem,” Fortune, August 17, 2015. Available at: http://fortune.com/2015/08/17/donald-trumps-plan-to-pay-for-mexico-wall-has-a-tech-problem/ 10 Trump, Donald, Immigration Reform That Will Make America Great Again 11 Johnson, Tim, “Trump migrant proposals could be ‘catastrophic’ to both U.S., Mexico” McClatchyDC, August 17, 2015. Available at: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/nation-world/world/latin-america/article31335389.html#storylink=cpy 12 Office of the United States Trade Representative, “Mexico.” Available at: https://ustr.gov/countries-regions/americas/mexico 13 Ibid.
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