US seeks regional approach with Latin American allies for migration and asylum

Faced with the likelihood of an eventual reopening of its southern border to asylum seekers, the US government is urging Latin American allies to tighten controls on migration and expand their own asylum programs.

the american president Joe Biden is under increasing pressure from the leaders of his own party to end the restrictions in force since March 2020 to stop the transmission of the COVID-19.

The US Secretary of Homeland Security, Alexander Mayorcasmet with officials from Costa Rica on Tuesday, while the day before he held talks with Mexico. Support from allies would be crucial to stem a spike in migration when those restrictions are lifted.

The two countries are crucial, they have their own asylum rules and are transit routes to the United States for immigrants coming from South America and from outside the American continent.

Last month, Costa Rica began requiring visas for Venezuelans and Cubans, a measure to curb their migration north. Mexico, which already required visas for Cubans, added Venezuelans in January.

US authorities encountered Venezuelans at the Mexican border 3,072 times in February, compared to 22,779 the previous month. These figures published on Tuesday demonstrate the impact of the new Mexican requirement for Venezuelans, in force since January 21. Colombians do not need a visa to travel to Mexico, and they were encountered 9,600 times, compared to 3,911 in January.

Total, U.S. authorities encountered migrants 164,973 times in February, well below the peak of 200,000 in August, but higher than the 154,745 in January and 101,099 in February 2021, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. English initials).

In his State of the Union address weeks ago, Biden said that “We are obtaining commitments and partners in South and Central America so that they receive more refugees and secure their own borders”.

Biden expanded on those statements last week, when he received the Colombian president Ivan Duke on the White House.

“I call for a new framework for how nations across the region can collectively manage migration in the Western Hemisphere”Biden said. “Our goal is… to sign a regional declaration on migration and protection in June in Los Angeles, when the United States will host the Summit of the Americas”.

With a more regional approach to asylum, Costa Rica, Panama and Colombia could be considered as havens, he said. Alan Bersinwho was head of the CBP during the presidency of Barack Obama.

“To control migration spikes at the border, we should offer offshore asylum in other countries. This kind of regional approach to migration will be crucial.”he added.