U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro (at podium) speaks in front of San Antonio City Hall earlier this year. Credit: Michael Karlis

San Antonio Democrats railed against the Trump White House’s 25% tariffs on Mexican imports, which appear to be on temporary hold, saying they’d bring dire consequences to a city where a quarter of a million people already live in poverty.

“This is a town where a lot of people are already living on the margins,” said U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, who represents San Antonio’s West Side. “It’s not a town with a lot of people with a lot of money. People are struggling to make it month to month. If you add another $150 to their grocery bill, it’s going to be hard for a lot of families.”

San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg, State Sens. Jose Menendez and Roland Gutierrez and State Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer also attended the Monday press conference in front of San Antonio City Hall.

All voiced their outrage and frustration against what the Wall Street Journal‘s editorial board dubbed “The Dumbest Trade War in History.”

Over the weekend, Trump declared that his administration would enact 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada while slapping an additional 10% import tax on Chinese goods. Trump justified the actions by claiming the U.S. has been treated “very poorly” by its top three trading partners.

Although Trump on Monday announced a temporary pause on the Mexican and Canadian tariffs those on China are expected to go into effect on Tuesday.

The Democratic lawmakers gathered at city hall warned that if Trump were to lift his pause on the Mexican and Canadian tariff’s, they would be especially detrimental to San Antonio’s working-class families.

Menéndez warned that the tariffs would wreak havoc at the South Side’s Toyota factory, where many parts used to build Tundra pickup trucks are imported from either Mexico or Canada.

Meanwhile, Nirenberg and Gutierrez argued that the skyrocketing costs of produce would wipe out San Antonio’s small-business owners, especially those in the service and food industries.

“These are things that are the effects of a president who claims that he is good at doing business,” Gutierrez said. “I have yet to have someone from that White House explain to us how these tariffs are good for business.”

Castro told reporters that his office has been in contact with San Antonio-based grocer H-E-B but declined to share the details of that conversation.

But tariffs are just his latest by the Trump administration that’s drawn alarm from San Antonio Democratic lawmakers.

During a press conference last week, Castro called Trump’s plans to freeze federal funding and grants “unconstitutional” and accused him of “acting like a king” instead of a president.

Meanwhile, Trump’s immigration crackdowns left families in the San Antonio Independent School District on edge. The district last week issued guidelines in case federal agents showed up on campus looking for undocumented students.

Former mayor Ed Gazra, a SAISD trustee, last week told the Current that district attendance has declined since Trump’s new immigration policies took effect.

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This article appears in Jan 22 – Feb 4, 2025.

Michael Karlis is a multimedia journalist at the San Antonio Current, whose coverage in print and on social media focuses on local and state politics. He is a graduate of American University in Washington,...