Obama Warns Of 'Half-Baked' Proposals On Mexico
WASHINGTON (CBSNewYork/AP) -- President Barack Obama responded to questions Tuesday about Donald Trump's proposal to cut off billions of dollars in remittances sent by Mexican immigrants living in the U.S.
"Good luck with that,'' Obama said in a press briefing, citing the dangers of what he described as "half-baked notions.''
"This is just one more example of something that is not thought through and primarily put forward for political consumption," he told reporters.
The president warned of the ramifications such a plan would have on the Mexican economy which, in turn, would drive more immigrants to flee to the U.S. in search of jobs.
"People around the world--- don't expect half-baked notions coming out of the White House," he said. "We can't afford that.''
According to a memo released by his campaign Tuesday, Trump would try to cut off funds sent to Mexico through money transfers known as remittances to compel its government to pay for a wall along the Southern border.
"Mexico currently receive $24 billion in remittance payments annually from the United States. This provides substantial leverage for the United States to obtain from Mexico the funds necessary to pay for a border wall," his campaign said in a statement.
Trump said he would withdraw the threat if Mexico makes "a one-time payment of $5-10 billion'' to finance the wall.''
The billionaire businessman has estimated his proposed wall would cost between $10 billion and $12 billion and has argued that it would protect the country from illegal border crossings as well as halting drug shipments.
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