Mexican president says illegal immigration to U.S. 'is not up to us'

Central American migrants are seen inside an enclosure where they are being held by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), after crossing the border between Mexico and the United States illegaly and turning themselves in to request asylum, in El Paso, Texas, U.S. March 27, 2019. REUTERS/Jose Luis Gonzalez

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Thursday he was committed to helping curb illegal immigration after renewed Twitter criticism by U.S. counterpart Donald Trump, but he suggested it was an issue chiefly for the United States and Central America to address.

Illegal immigration across the U.S. border has caused persistent bilateral tensions ever since Trump launched his bid for the presidency almost four years ago, saying that Mexico was sending rapists and drug runners into the United States.