SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - As President Donald Trump threatens to shutdown the U.S.-Mexico Border, San Diego leaders are in Mexico City to strengthen economic ties and talk binational business.
Five mayors and nearly 100 elected officials, business and community leaders from San Diego and Baja California left for Mexico Sunday for the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce’s 14th annual Binational Delegation to Mexico City.
San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer said the top two issues up for discussion are the continuing Mexican sewage runoff problems that impact our beaches and the free trade relationship between the U.S. and Mexico.
Monday, Mexican officials said 70 percent of trade with the U.S. is by trucks, and the Mexican Government is ready to collaborate with the U.S. to ensure border safety and that trade flows efficiently.
“Free trade is incredibly important to our region here in San Diego,” said Faulconer. "We have over 100,000 jobs that are dependent upon trade with Mexico.”
Faulconer said the goal is to create a safe, secure and functioning border. He is also calling for the approval of the new United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA.
The Chamber also said advancing USMCA is a key priority of this week's meeting.
Monday the delegation will discuss the U.S. Mexico trade relationship, including the border, immigration and economic development. On Tuesday the delegation will discuss the U.S. Mexico water policy.
Imperial Beach Mayor Serge Dedina has been pushing for the Mexican government to rebuild basic sewage infrastructure. The sewage runoff from the Tijuana River Valley flows into some of our local beaches, shutting them down for days and sometimes even months.
Dedina said he hopes to come back to San Diego with new solutions to resolve the ongoing, decades-old issue.
“Will be really pressing really hard with high-level officials to really move this forward so we can continue to have clean beaches,” he said Sunday.
The leaders will wrap up their trip to Mexico on Wednesday.
