© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Joe Biden meets with Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in San Francisco, California, U.S. November 17, 2023. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) -U.S. President Joe Biden spoke on Thursday morning with his Mexican counterpart Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who said ahead of the call that the two could discuss migration, amid concerns about increased border crossings and disruptions to trade.
Lopez Obrador said the two would speak at around 9 a.m. (1500 GMT) local time and the White House later confirmed the call had taken place, without giving details.
Dozens of major U.S. agricultural groups on Wednesday urged the U.S. to reopen two rail crossings on the Texas-Mexico border to restore trade routes closed due to rising migrant crossings.
The White House then said it was working with Mexico to resolve issues that led to the closures.
That step followed a temporary suspension of expulsions of migrants by Mexican immigration authorities due to an end-of-year funding crunch, according to officials.
Lopez Obrador told a press conference Biden requested the call.
When asked what the two would discuss, Lopez Obrador said: “I think migration. Let’s see what he proposes to us.”
Biden, who is seeking re-election next year, has been under sustained political pressure to curb record numbers of people trying to cross illegally at the U.S.-Mexico border.