SAN DIEGO (Border Report) — Like any other weekday at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry’s commercial crossing, large trucks streamed out carrying anything from televisions to picture frames assembled south of the border.
As of Tuesday, because of President Donald Trump’s tariffs, each item manufactured, grown or made in Mexico, except for vehicles, carries an additional 25% fee to enter the U.S.
“With the positioning of the tariffs imposed by President Trump’s Administration, we will be really affected,” said Alfredo Dueñez, president of Baja California’s Medical Device Cluster.
Dueñez says 77 companies in Northern Baja manufacture medical products and devices that end up in American hospitals and clinics.
“Implementing a 25% tariff on the medical device sector means a 25% additional cost for international companies that they will have to pay for our products.”
According to Dueñez, the cost of health care in the U.S. will go up because of the tariffs.
“We are worried about patients in hospitals because they are the ones who will be affected the most,” he said. “This will definitely lead to a crisis in the supply chain for medical devices, especially if manufacturers restrict production because they, or their customers, can’t afford the tariffs.”
Just about every industry is impacted by the tariffs including companies that make microprocessors and other high-tech materials.
This will impact the cost of televisions, computers, appliances and other products in the U.S. according to Dueñez.
“Anything that requires aluminum and steel will also cost more.”
Dueñez would like to see Trump change his mind on the tariffs, something he has already done when it comes to vehicles manufactured in Mexico.
On Wednesday, Trump announced a one-month exemption on tariffs against Canada and Mexico for cars following a meeting with the three major U.S. automakers.
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