David Frum: Trump Is at Fault for Mexico Not Stopping Illegals’ Rush to the Border

BRENNAN: And, David, the president links this as well to the future of the free trade deal with Mexico and Canada.

DAVID FRUM, “THE ATLANTIC”: Right. Well, the president is revealing to many of his supporters the true cost of Donald Trump’s own presidency for things they believe in.

What triggered the president’s tweets has been a — was a (INAUDIBLE) “Fox and Friends” this morning about what has been an emerging issue in the conservative press. A movement of some hundreds of people from Central America, through Mexico, unchecked by Mexican authorities, hoping to get to the United States border and then to make a request for asylum.

It reminds us of the rushes to the border from Central America in the summers of 2014 and 2015 that were triggered by President Obama’s DACA executive orders. He made it clear that it was going to be easier to stay in the United States and many thousands of people left Central America to come to try to take advantage of that.

That was brought to an end with the cooperation of Mexican law enforcement. Mexico is a partner — must be a partner in defending the country against illegal immigration. If you alienate Mexico over the wall, over — and over NAFTA, what you end up doing is electing this summer a much more nationalistic, a much more radical Mexican president who will not cooperate. And these rushes to the border, which Trump is raining against, will be a cost of the Trump presidency.