Mexican federal police guard the wall during the visit of U.S. President Donald Trump to Calexico, California, in Mexicali, Mexico, April 5, 2019. VOA
Trump also reiterated his willingness to close the border with Mexico if Mexico does not block immigrants at its southern border. "But Mexico in the last four days has done more than they've ever done at their southern border," he said.
Earlier Friday, Trump denied that he changed his mind about closing the U.S.-Mexico border, one day after apparently backtracking on the threat if Mexico does not act to halt the flow of illegal immigrants and drugs from entering the U.S.
"I never changed my mind at all," Trump told reporters before leaving the White House for a trip to the U.S.-Mexico border. "I may shut it down at some point."
During Trump's visit, he was also expected to participate in a roundtable discussion on immigration and border security before touring a section of recently installed fence. His administration has described the fence as a "newly completed section of the promised border wall."
The fencing in Calexico, which had been planned since 2009 and completed last year, is a replacement of a crumbling barrier that was constructed decades ago.
A metal plaque with Trump's name on it is attached to the nine-meter-high fence Trump inspected. The plaque asserts the fencing is the first section of Trump's border wall.
Trump had threatened for nearly two weeks to close the border, arguing Mexico was not doing enough to stop illegal immigrants and illicit drugs from entering the U.S. The president backed off those threats after advisers and some Republican senators urged him to do so, warning the effects could be economically devastating.
Trump instead imposed a one-year deadline on Mexico to stem the flow of immigrants and drugs into the U.S. or face a 25% tariff on cars it exports to the U.S. Trump delivered another threat to Mexico on Friday via Twitter, warning he is "looking at an economic penalty for the 500 Billion Dollars in illegal DRUGS that are shipped and smuggled through Mexico and across our Southern Border."