Mexican officials in Washington on Monday struck an optimistic tone ahead of high-level talks to address President Trump’s threat to impose new punitive tariffs on Mexico.

(SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MEXICAN FOREIGN MINISTER MARCELO EBRARD SAYING: “We have faith in dialogue and politics as means to avoid costly and unnecessary confrontations." Trump on Friday announced he’d slap 5 percent tariffs on all Mexican goods starting on June 10, and increase the rate in coming months to 25 percent if Mexico doesn’t stem the flow of migrants at the US-Mexican border, which is at a decade high this year.

With just a week until the first tariffs bite, the delegation led by Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard may have a hard time convincing U.S. officials that Mexico is doing enough on immigration to avoid punishment.

Ebrard Monday said such tariffs could actually backfire.

(SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MEXICAN FOREIGN MINISTER MARCELO EBRARD SAYING: "Slapping tariffs, along with the decision to cancel the aid programs to the northern Central American countries, could have a counterproductive effect and would not reduce the migration flows.

Tariffs could cause financial and economic instability which means that Mexico could reduce its capacity to address migration flows and to offer alternatives to the new migrants who have recently arrived in Mexico." Mexico's president on Saturday hinted his country could tighten migration controls to defuse Trump's tariffs threat, saying he expected 'good results' from this week’s talks.

But Trump on Sunday called Mexico an "abuser" of the United States and said he wanted action, not talk.

Mexico has signaled it would retaliate to the tariffs, with targets likely to include farm products on Trump supporting states.

Mexico's economy, which is heavily reliant on exports to the United States, shrank in the first quarter and would suffer even more if Trump were to raise tariffs up all the way to 25 percent.