U.S. Seeks Help From Latin American Allies to Curb Migration at U.S.-Mexico Border

With the possibility of reopening the southern border to asylum seekers, the U.S. government is urging Latin American allies to tighten immigration controls and expand their own asylum programs.

President Joe Biden is facing increasing pressure from leaders of his own party to lift broad asylum limitations that have been in place since March 2020 in an effort to limit the spread of COVID-19.

A day after holding talks in Mexico, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas met with officials in Costa Rica Tuesday. The support of allies would be crucial in limiting a surge of migration once the restrictions are lifted, Al Jazeera reported.

According to ABC News, both nations are key due to their own asylum systems and being transit routes to the U.S. for immigrants from South America and outside the Americas.

Overall, the Customs and Border Protection reported that U.S. authorities encountered 164,973 migrants along the border in February, down from a record of more than 200,000 in August but up from 154,745 in January and 101,099 in February 2021.

Joe Biden Calls Latin American Allies to Secure Their Borders

In his State of the Union Address early this month, Joe Biden said they were securing commitments and supporting South and Central America partners to host more refugees and secure their own borders.

Last week, Biden elaborated on those remarks when he hosted Colombian President Ivan Duque at the White House.

The president noted that he was calling for a new framework of how nations in the region can collectively manage migration in the Western Hemisphere, with the main goal of signing a regional declaration on migration and protection in June when the U.S. hosts the Summit of the Americas.

According to Alan Bersin, a former Homeland Security assistant secretary for international affairs, Costa Rica, Panama, and Colombia could be deemed safe havens under a more regional approach to asylum.

Bersin added that in order to bring the border migration surges under control, the U.S. should "offshore asylum" to other countries.

Asylum Systems in Mexico, Costa Rica, Colombia, Overwhelmed in Years

In recent years, even nations with reasonably capable asylum systems, like Mexico, Costa Rica, and Colombia, have been overwhelmed.

In Mexico, 131,448 people applied for asylum last year, nearly double the previous high of 70,000 recorded before the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019.

Costa Rica has received tens of thousands of Nicaraguans each year since a political crisis erupted in Nicaragua in 2018. Costa Rica went from 68 asylum applicants in 2016 to 59,450 last year. Just in January, Costa Rica accepted 5,350 applications.

Colombia is hosting 1.8 million Venezuelans due to the country's political and economic crises. Colombia has offered them temporary protected status. On the other hand, Panama has a very limited capacity for asylum seekers, handling fewer than 10,000 applications in pre-pandemic 2019.

Due to violence and a lack of economic opportunities, Mexico and Colombia remain significant migrant-producing countries.

Maureen Meyer, vice president for programs at the Washington Office on Latin America, said these are not necessarily countries that can absorb a lot of people that would need a lot of support.

Meyer believes that any solution should include strengthened asylum processes and alternatives for those who do not qualify for asylum yet urgently need to migrate.

U.S. Ends Asylum Restrictions for Children Traveling Alone

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has lifted an order that had denied a chance at asylum for unaccompanied child migrants last Friday.

But for adults and families traveling with children, the Trump-era Title 42 authority remains in effect. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has long called for the U.S. government to stop using Title 42 at the border and restore asylum access for the people whose lives depend on it, in line with international legal and human rights obligations.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer earlier said he was confused why the CDC continues "this draconian policy" despite strong signs of pandemic recovery. According to AP, Mayorkas' visits could pave the way for lifting the policy.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Jess Smith

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