One of Donald Trump’s electoral strategies during his campaign was to propose high tariffs as a central piece of his economic plan; a universal tariff on all countries, and an even more aggressive one specifically targeting China, which he threatened to raise up to 150%.
The European Union settled for avoiding a trade war, while Canada continues to search for ways to reduce or eliminate the arbitrary tariffs imposed despite violating the free trade agreement with that country and with our southern neighbor.
The taxes on Mexican imports, used as leverage on that country over migration issues and the fight against fentanyl trafficking, gained the president political support, but today they are bringing serious consequences.
What is often overlooked in the tariff debate is the real, local impact they have on the daily lives of communities, not just on Wall Street. For Pennsylvania, a state with a highly diverse industrial and agricultural economy, trade is not just an abstract concept; it’s an essential part of everyday life. And one of the state’s most important trade relationships is with Mexico.
Bilateral trade between Pennsylvania and Mexico amounts to approximately $12.1 billion. Mexico is the state’s third-largest trading partner and its second-largest export market, after Canada. In addition, this exchange generates around 200,000 jobs annually in Pennsylvania.
From manufacturing and medical devices to agricultural products and processed foods, the flow of goods between the two regions is dynamic and touches virtually every sector of the state’s economy.
The ports in Philadelphia and Wilmington, Delaware, serve as gateways for key products from Latin America and the Caribbean, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, arriving in refrigerated containers and quickly distributed throughout the northeastern U.S. and into Canada.
Year-round, these ports bring in healthy and affordable foods. Tariffs will drive prices higher, especially for families already struggling with the cost of basic groceries.
Tariff supporters claim they are a way to punish foreign governments that have “taken advantage” of the U.S. or to protect domestic industries. But it has been proven that tariffs often function as a hidden tax on consumers and small businesses. They create economic uncertainty, provoke retaliatory measures, and ultimately do little to restore industrial sectors that have changed or disappeared.
Beyond the macroeconomic impact, imposing tariffs raises costs for businesses — especially small and medium-sized ones — and, ultimately, for consumers.
Higher prices, lower profit margins, and in some cases, tough decisions about layoffs or relocating operations are the result.
In Pennsylvania, the effect is especially felt in its thriving restaurant sector, which is already experiencing a negative impact from price speculation and, like other Mexican immigrant-owned businesses, has suffered a significant drop in clientele due to the fear sparked by ICE raids, as well as difficulties in retaining employees, who are often immigrants themselves.
Across the U.S., it is estimated that one in ten restaurants serves Mexican food, and Pennsylvania is no exception. These restaurants rely heavily on imported ingredients to offer authentic dishes. Key supplies come mainly from Mexico and Latin America, making the impact on them —and on stores selling traditional products from various countries— inevitable.
These businesses, largely run by immigrants for immigrants, create jobs, contribute to the local economy, rent commercial spaces, pay taxes, and help shape the rich multicultural identity of Pennsylvania’s cities and towns. But that is precisely the point of the increasingly obvious MAGA agenda: “Make America White Again.”
Tariffs, the persecution of immigrants, and the targeting of U.S. citizens based on racial profiling harm millions of families, damage the economy, and cause ripple effects that even hurt international tourism.
According to 2022 data, Mexico accounted for 23.06% of all international tourists, making it the second most important country of origin after Canada (26.93%).
It is known that the number of visitors from both countries has dropped drastically, driven by fear of being turned away and as retaliation for Trumpist policies that have turned the nation’s closest allies —and its labor force— into enemies.
Sooner or later, this regime’s actions will backfire, harming not only the most vulnerable, and by then, who knows if it will be too late, because the rest of the world will not stand idly by.