If the United States imposes a 20% import tax on goods coming from Mexico into the United States consumers in Kansas City would feel the effects of it.
Mark Johnson, a partner at Dentons Law Firm and an expert in international trade law, explained that consumers may not realize how many products they use that are imported from Mexico.
Johnson said the price of vegetables, fruits, beer, snacks, and avocados could jump because they are imported from Mexico. He said one-fourth of the $300 billion U.S. consumers pay Mexico every year for goods is for cars.
"Americans buy $75 Billion of cars produced in Mexico a year. If you increase that cost by 20 percent it's easy to do the math," said Johnson.
The U.S. also purchases medical equipment from Mexico. Any price hike could also increase the cost of health care or health insurance.
While Trump and Congress debate about how to make Mexico pay to build a wall along the border with the U.S., the Mexican President is also under pressure from politicians in his homeland to take a stand against U.S. pressure to pay for the wall.
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Cynthia Newsome can be reached at Cynthia.Newsome@kshb.com.
