Mexico President Andrés Manuel López Obrador says Mexico won't respond to U.S. President Donald Trump's threat of coercive tariffs with desperation, but instead will push for dialogue.

López Obrador says he has dispatched Foreign Affairs Secretary Marcelo Ebrard to Washington to show Trump data that Mexico has been taking action to slow illegal immigration.

Trump threatened Thursday to impose tariffs starting at 5% and increasing incrementally if Mexico does not convince him that it's doing more against illegal immigration.

López Obrador said Friday the Mexican people "don't deserve this kind of treatment."

He noted that most migrants passing through Mexico are Central Americans fleeing their countries because they are unable to find work or live safely there.

He says Mexico will not commit human rights violations.