U.S. – As President Donald Trump continues to consider closing the United States’ border with Mexico, West Virginia business owners and industry advocates worry about the effect it could have on the state’s automotive sector.
Mexico is West Virginia’s 11th-largest trading partner based on dollar value, according to 2018 Census data. Trade with Mexico supports 23,000 jobs, according a 2017 report from the Wilson Center, a nonpartisan research institute. West Virginia’s exports to Mexico have increased by 378% since 1993, according to the report.
“There is serious and widespread concern that closing the border with Mexico would be crippling for the United States automotive industry, which could mean similar consequences for West Virginia automotive manufacturers,” said Rebecca McPhail, president of the West Virginia Manufacturers Association.
Source: WVGazettemail