Biden Strikes Deal With Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala to Deploy Troops to Their Borders to Stop Migrant Surge

The Biden administration has struck a deal with Mexico, Honduras, and Guatemala to control the surge of migrants on the U.S.-Mexico border.

According to The Guardian, the agreement between the United States and the three countries will temporarily put more troops on their own border to halt migrants from reaching the southern border.

White Press Secretary Jen Psaki announced the deal between the U.S., Mexico, Honduras, and Guatemala during her daily briefing with reporters.

President Joe Biden's reversal of the Trump administration's border policies has flooded the U.S. borders with Central American and Mexican illegal migrants, New York Post reported.

Biden Administration and the International Deal

The agreement between the countries follows the record number of unaccompanied migrant children attempting to cross the borders in March, witnessed by the United States. The record is also considered the largest number of Border Patrol encounters with migrants in the southern border since March of 2001.

"Mexico decided to maintain 10,000 troops at its southern border, resulting in twice as many daily migrant introductions," said Psaki.

Psaki further noted that Guatemala had deployed about 1,500 law enforcement authorities to its southern border. Guatemala also agreed to set up 12 checkpoints along the pathways migrants are taking.

On the other hand, Honduras has deployed about 7,000 law enforcement officers to disperse a large group of migrants in the country.

Psaki noted that the agreement was the product of series of "bilateral discussions" between the U.S. officials and the government of the Central American nations.

President Biden publicly discouraged migrants from traveling to the United States during his inauguration in January, according to a Newsweek report. However, his friendlier tone towards immigrants during his campaign reportedly signaled migrants from Latin American countries that he will be more welcoming once he took office.

Biden administration's new agreement echoes the former administration's 2019 deal with Mexico, which is different from the signature "Remain in Mexico" policy where national guards were deployed to the Guatemalan borders hoping to stop the migrants headed to the U.S. borders.

Troops on Borders

Psaki noted that the law enforcement troops' goal on borders is to make it more difficult for migrants and discourage them from fleeing their country.

However, some immigration advocates are cynical about the new agreement the Biden administration had with Mexico, Honduras, and Guatemala.

"We shouldn't be talking about troops stationed on a border to stop families and children from their right under international law to seek protection," said Daniella Burgi-Palomino.

Burgi-Palomino, who is the co-director of the non-profit Latin America Working Group, noted that the move is a "militarized action" for families and children, who are in dire need of protection.

Corruption, organized crime, and hunger because of failing crops are factors, which according to The Guardian affect the decision of the migrants to leave their homeland and seek asylum with the United States, leading to migrant surge.

The migrant surge the Biden administration is facing is composed of Mexicans as the lead proportion of migrants faced by the Border Patrol agents. People from Honduras and Guatemala rank second and third, respectively.

WATCH: Mexico and Guatemala Move Troops to Southern Borders to Make Journey to U.S. "More Difficult": Psaki - From The Hill