Progress on the Situation at Our Southern Border

Executive Order 14198 of February 3, 2025

Progress on the Situation at Our Southern Border

By the authority vested in me as President by the
Constitution and the laws of the United States of
America, including the International Emergency Economic
Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) (IEEPA), the
National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.),
section 604 of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended (19
U.S.C. 2483), and section 301 of title 3, United States
Code, it is hereby ordered:

Section 1. Background. On February 1, 2025, I
determined that the failure of Mexico to arrest, seize,
detain, or otherwise intercept Mexican drug trafficking
organizations, other drug and human traffickers,
criminals at large, and illicit drugs constitutes an
unusual and extraordinary threat, which has its source
in substantial part outside the United States, to the
national security, foreign policy, and economy of the
United States. To address that threat, I invoked my
authority under section 1702(a)(1)(B) of IEEPA to
impose ad valorem tariffs on articles that are products
of Mexico.

Sec. 2. Immediate Steps. Pursuant to section 3 of my
Executive Order of February 1, 2025, titled “Imposing
Duties to Address the Situation at Our Southern
Border” (“the Executive Order of February 1, 2025”),
I have determined that the Government of Mexico has
taken immediate steps designed to alleviate the illegal
migration and illicit drug crisis through cooperative
actions. Further time is needed, however, to assess
whether these steps constitute sufficient action to
alleviate the crisis and resolve the unusual and
extraordinary threat beyond our southern border.

Sec. 3. Pause. (a) In recognition of the steps taken by
the Government of Mexico, and in order to assess
whether the threat described in section 1 of this order
has abated, the additional 25 percent ad valorem rate
of duty shall be paused and will not take effect until
March 4, 2025, at 12:01 a.m. eastern time. Accordingly,
sections 2(a), section 2(d), and section 2(e) of the
Executive Order of February 1, 2025, are amended by
striking the term “February 4, 2025,” where it
appears in those sections and inserting in lieu thereof
the term “March, 4, 2025.” The exceptions set forth
in section 2(a) of the Executive Order of February 1,
2025, related to covered goods loaded onto a vessel at
a port of entry or in transit on the final mode of
transport prior to entry into the United States are,
hereby, withdrawn.

    (b) During this pause, the Secretary of Homeland
Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State,
the Attorney General, the Assistant to the President
for National Security Affairs, and the Assistant to the
President for Homeland Security, shall continue to
assess the situation at our southern border, as
provided in section 3 of the Executive Order of
February 1, 2025.
    (c) If the illegal migration and illicit drug
crises worsen, and if the Government of Mexico fails to
take sufficient steps to alleviate these crises, the
President shall take necessary steps to address the
situation, including by immediate implementation of the
tariffs described in the Executive Order of February 1,
2025.

Sec. 4. Severability. If any provision of this order,
or the application of any provision to any person or
circumstance, is held to be invalid, the remainder of
this order and the application of its provisions to any
other persons or circumstances shall not be affected
thereby.

Sec. 5. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order
shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or
the head thereof; or

(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget
relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

    (b) This order shall be implemented consistent with
applicable law and subject to the availability of
appropriations.
    (c) This order is not intended to, and does not,
create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural,
enforceable at law or in equity by any party against
the United States, its departments, agencies, or
entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any
other person.

    (Presidential Sig.)

THE WHITE HOUSE,

    February 3, 2025.