Title: Tri-Nation Discussion on Illegal Migration: Deepening Cooperation between the United States, Mexico, and Guatemala
The United States, Mexico, and Guatemala held a ministerial-level meeting in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday to intensify their collaboration in addressing the pressing issue of illegal migration. This discussion comes as the migration and border concerns continue to dominate the US domestic political discourse.
The upcoming establishment of an “operational cell” is anticipated, with Guatemala announced as the next host for the Los Angeles Declaration ministerial in April. The primary objective of this operational cell will be to jointly tackle migration issues and foster closer trilateral efforts.
The significance of this meeting is heightened, as both President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump are scheduled to visit the southern border on Thursday. The border issue has become a central theme of the 2024 election, with Trump emphasizing the Biden administration’s handling as a campaign cornerstone, and Biden criticizing Republican congressmen for their failure to pass a bipartisan national Website security and border deal earlier this year.
Biden is reportedly considering executive action to limit migrants’ ability to claim asylum if they enter the US southern border illegally. The US has witnessed a marked decrease in crossings at its border with Mexico, which it attributes to Mexico’s enhanced enforcement measures. Since December, the US and Mexico have engaged in two additional rounds of talks on this matter.
The Wednesday meeting was scheduled to focus on four primary areas: collaborating on the root causes of illegal migration, expanding legal pathways for migration through deepened trilateral efforts, strengthening the management of irregular migration flows, and coordinating on future ministerial level meetings.
A senior administration official addressed criticisms that the root cause strategy has largely proven ineffective by asserting, “This is certainly a long-term effort that requires extensive work from throughout the US government, international organizations, foundations, and other stakeholders.”
A third senior administration official highlighted the regional concern regarding “extra-hemispheric migration,” or individuals traveling from outside of the western hemisphere to the Americas with the intention of eventually reaching the US border. This issue is not solely a concern for the US, as governments across the hemisphere are grappling with the challenge. The official further disclosed that the US has been actively working with various regional governments to address migration routes being utilized by individuals from outside of the western hemisphere. The issue extends beyond Chinese nationals, but the official mentioned the case of Chinese migrants traveling to Mexico as an example.
Sources:
1. Senior administration officials’ statements during a call with reporters on Tuesday, February 7, 2023.
2. CNN, “Chinese migrants are traveling to Mexico in record numbers,” by Priscilla Alvarez, January 10, 2023.
