Trump speaks with Mexico's president, claims an agreement to effectively close the border

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Two days after President-elect Donald Trump threatened to impose sweeping new tariffs on Canada and Mexico as part of his effort to crack down on illegal immigration and drugs, he said he spoke with the Mexican president and she “agreed to stop Migration through Mexico."

In a post on his Truth Social account Wednesday evening, Trump said this was “effectively closing our Southern Border.” He called it a “very productive conversation!”

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed that she spoke with Trump, calling it an “excellent conversation.”

“We discussed Mexico’s strategy on migration issues, and I told him the caravans are not reaching the northern (U.S.) border, because Mexico is taking care of them,” Sheinbaum wrote on social media. “We also talked about reinforcing cooperation on security issues, within the framework of our sovereignty, and the campaign we are carrying out to prevent fentanyl consumption."

It was unclear what impact the conversation will have on Trump's plan to impose tariffs.

Trump on Monday said he would impose a 25% tax on all products entering the country from Canada and Mexico as one of his first executive orders upon taking office on Jan. 20. In announcing his plans on his Truth Social site, he railed against an influx of migrants crossing into the U.S. illegally, even though southern border apprehensions have been hovering near four-year lows.

Illegal migration across the Mexico border is down in part because the Biden administration secured some stepped up cooperation on stemming migration from Mexico — the sort Trump seems to be celebrating.

Arrivals at the U.S.-Mexico border have dropped 40% from an all-time high in December. U.S. officials mostly credit Mexican vigilance around rail yards and highway checkpoints.

Associated Press writers Jill Colvin in New York and Mark Stevenson in Mexico City contributed to this report.

FILE - President-elect Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with the House GOP conference, Nov. 13, 2024, in Washington. (Allison Robbert/Pool via AP, File)

NEW YORK (AP) — The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade kicked off Thursday morning in New York City with a steady rain that added ponchos and umbrellas to the lineup of balloons, floats and star-studded performances.

The annual holiday tradition features new Spider-Man and Minnie Mouse balloons, zoo and pasta-themed floats, performances from Jennifer Hudson and Idina Menzel, and more.

The lineup is a far cry from the parade’s initial incarnation a century ago, which featured floats showing scenes from Mother Goose, Red Riding Hood and the Wolf, Miss Muffet and the Spider, and other fairy tales.

Some things remain the same, though. As in 1924, there are plenty of marching bands and lots of clowns, followed by the grand finale of Santa Claus riding through Manhattan and ushering in the holiday season.

This year's parade features 17 giant, helium-filled character balloons, 22 floats, 15 novelty and heritage inflatables, 11 marching bands, 700 clowns, 10 performance groups, award-winning singers and actors, and the WNBA champion New York Liberty.

One new float spotlights the Rao’s food brand, featuring a knight and a dragon in battle made with actual pasta elements. Another celebrates the Bronx Zoo’s 125th anniversary with representations of a tiger, a giraffe, a zebra and a gorilla.

“The work that we do, the opportunity to impact millions of people and bring a bit of joy for a couple of hours on Thanksgiving morning, is what motivates us every day,” said Will Coss, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade executive producer.

The parade began at 8:30 a.m. on Manhattan’s Upper West Side and ends 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) away around noon at Macy’s Herald Square flagship store on 34th Street, which serves as a stage and backdrop for performances.

The rain isn't stopping anything — the parade has only been canceled three times, from 1942 to 1944 during World War II — but organizers are monitoring wind speeds throughout the festivities to make sure it’s safe for the big balloons to fly.

Temperatures are in the upper 40s degrees F, with rain throughout the morning and winds around 10 mph (16 kph), well within the acceptable range for letting Snoopy, Bluey and their friends soar. New York City law prohibits Macy’s from flying the full-size balloons if sustained winds exceed 23 mph (37 kph) or wind gusts are over 35 mph (56 kph).

The parade airs on NBC with hosts Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb and Al Roker and streams on the network's Peacock service. Carlos Adyan and Andrea Meza will host a Spanish simulcast on Telemundo.

People stand in the rain along Sixth Avenue ahead of the start of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

A person inflates a float in preparation for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

People inflate floats in preparation for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

People watch floats being inflated in preparation for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Pedestrians cross Sixth Avenue ahead of the start of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)