'Our country is full, so turn around,' says Donald Trump at Mexico border for those heading for United States

President Donald Trump went Friday to Mexican border to deliver a mess to would be illegal immigrants: United States has room left to take m.

Trump sees his campaign against a "crisis" on border as key to his 2020 reelection bid, and his trip to Calexico in California was meant to keep that mess in helines.

Numbers of migrants and asylum seekers fleeing violence in Central America have risen sharply, although re are ermous political divides on wher this constitutes "national emergency" that Trump has declared.

At a meeting with border patrol nts and or officials in Calexico, he said "it's overwhelming our immigration system and we can't let that happen." 

n in a mess to those heing for United States, he said: " system is full and we can't take you anymore.... Our country is full." 

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"So turn around, that's way it is," he said.

Around 200 protesters, accompanied by a giant inflatable balloon depicting Trump as a baby, were waiting for president in Mexicali, town on Mexican side of frontier.

Waving US and Mexican flags, protesters carried signs with messs such as "Stop separating families" and "If you build wall, my generation will tear it down." 

On US side, dozens of people lined ro that Trump's motorce took from airport, demonstrating support for his policies. "Build wall," said one placard.

Trump is determined to pursue a hard line.

Before leaving Washington earlier, Trump said that his previous threats to shut down border h been successful in persuing Mexican authorities to clamp down by stopping migrants on ir journey rth.

"Mexico, I have to say, has been very, very good... over last four days since I talked about shutting down border," he said.

Trump indicated again that closing border is longer on cards at present, but reiterated a warning that he will impose 25 per cent tariffs on auto imports from Mexico if illegal migration and drug smuggling are t controlled.

Trump said he could still order border closed later. "I may shut it down at some point but I'd rar do tariffs," he said.

While sounding tough, Trump's surprise shift to tariffs from previous threat to close border is a major retreat.

Until Thursday, White House h been signalling that Trump could imminently order a full or partial closure of huge border in response to what Trump says is a "crisis" and "national emergency." 

re h even been speculation that he might anunce such a move during his visit to Calexico, an area where new high fencing has been erected as part of Trump's plan for expanding border walls.

idea caused alarm among ecomists and Congress, including in Trump's Republican Party. Mexico is third largest US tring partner and any hold ups at border crossings would have an immediate impact on tre.

Although a border closing has been pushed back, tariffs idea is causing confusion.

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On Thursday, Trump indicated re would be a one-year deline for Mexico to improve situation before tariffs kicked in. However it was t clear if he meant that both for drug smuggling and migration, or wher he wanted migration issue resolved immediately.

On Friday, he tweeted that tariffs would be slapped on Mexican-built cars "if for any reason Mexico stops apprehending and bringing illegals back to where y came from." 

It was unclear how such tariffs would fit into countries' deeply intertwined tring relationship, which is governed by NAFTA, a free tre accord also including Cana that is due to be replaced by an updated version called USMCA.

Leers of three countries signed USMCA in vember after more than a year of negotiations.

Trump said Friday that his tariffs would "supersede USMCA. It's a great deal, and it's very good for Mexico. But this will supersede USMCA." 

In Mexico City, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obror urged investors to "stay calm." 

"Our relationship with government of United States is very good," he said.