Deluzio, Labor Caucus Colleagues Raise Questions, Concerns with Trump Administration Steel Trade Negotiations with Mexico
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressman Chris Deluzio (PA-17) led five of his colleagues from the Congressional Labor Caucus on a letter to President Donald Trump raising questions and concerns about the impacts that the administration’s ongoing negotiations on Mexican steel could have on American workers.
Congressman Deluzio’s letter was also signed by Rep. Debbie Dingell (MI-6), Rep. Mark Pocan (WI-02), Rep. Donald Norcross (NJ-01), and Rep. Steven Horsford (NV-04)
The signers write: “We are glad that we share the goal of reshoring good-paying manufacturing jobs here in the United States. But we are concerned about recent reports that your Administration is negotiating a deal with Mexico that would set a quota for steel imports from Mexico, with imports under the quota allowed to enter duty free. Most concerningly, this quota would be higher than a similar agreement negotiated during your first Administration, despite the fact that steel imports from Mexico continued to surge even after that agreement.
They also ask the President to answer the following questions:
- What is the volume of imports being considered for this potential new duty-free quota on steel imports from Mexico?
- What criteria was used to determine that quota?
- With which, if any, stakeholders or Members of Congress has your Administration consulted during this Mexico steel negotiation process?
Congressman Deluzio is a leading voice in Congress to defend and grow American steelmaking and protect American steel jobs. In March 2025 he co-led a letter to President Trump urging him to use a targeted approach to tariffs to support U.S. Steel manufacturing.
The full text of the letter sent yesterday is available here, and below.
The Honorable Donald J. Trump
President
The United States of America
The White House
Office of the President
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20500
Dear President Trump,
I write to you today with concerns about reports that your administration is closing in on a deal with Mexico to remove the current 50% tariffs on certain steel imports. I have no problem with working to obtain a better deal. However, I am concerned about the lack of transparency in these discussions and that the deal may result in import levels in this sector that are higher than what was agreed to during even your first term. In this, my priority is, and will always be, the safety and prosperity of U.S. workers.
When operating on a level playing field, American workers can outcompete anyone. The fact is we do not operate on a level playing field in the global trade economy, and Mexico is no exception. Moving manufacturing to a country where companies can pay their workers a fraction of U.S. wages, don’t have to worry about upholding basic health and safety standards, and can gain unfair competitive advantages by dumping toxins and unlimited pollution emission, is too easy.
As we have seen over the past few decades since the disastrous enactment of NAFTA, race-to-the-bottom trade sells out American workers, shipping good-paying American manufacturing jobs to other countries. Nationwide, historically industrial communities have been devastated. Decades have passed without reinvestment into alternative products or industries. This has left formerly thriving manufacturing hubs that built America’s middle class including communities in my district in Western Pennsylvania, abandoned and unrecognizable.
Since NAFTA, China’s entry into the World Trade Organization, and related damaging trade policies, the United States has experienced millions of jobs lost to offshoring and import floods. I am glad that we share the goal of reshoring good-paying manufacturing jobs here in the United States. But I am concerned about recent reports that your Administration is negotiating a deal with Mexico that would set a quota for steel imports from Mexico, with imports under the quota allowed to enter duty free. Most concerningly, this quota would be higher than a similar agreement negotiated during your first Administration, despite the fact that steel imports from Mexico continued to surge even after that agreement. According to the International Trade Association, in 2024, the U.S. imported over three million tons of steel from Mexico.
Accordingly, I respectfully request your responses to the questions below about these steel negotiations with Mexico:
1. What is the volume of imports being considered for this potential new duty-free quota on steel imports from Mexico?
- What criteria was used to determine that quota?
- With which, if any, stakeholders or Members of Congress has your Administration consulted during this Mexico steel negotiation process?
We are proud of our steel-making legacy in Western Pennsylvania, and strategic, targeted tariffs are a smart way to protect this industry and its workers. I request an urgent response to my questions so that my constituents and I can provide informed input into these negotiations. With a strategic course correction after decades of bad trade deals and strong leadership on behalf of American workers and producers, we can and will be the world’s providers of steel.
Thank you for your attention to this matter and I look forward to your response
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