Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken will meet with Latin American officials in Guatemala on Tuesday as part of the Biden administration's push to urge Latin American countries to strengthen border security and expand legal avenues for immigration.
President Biden has faced criticism for his handling of the southern border, an issue that has become a key concern for many voters in this year's presidential election. U.S. officials have increasingly turned to international cooperation in recent years to prevent large numbers of migrants from reaching the southern border.
The United States relies heavily on its closest migrant partner, Mexico, to control the number of people heading to its southern border. In late December, Mr. Blinken and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas traveled to Mexico to discuss increased enforcement during a month in which U.S. Border Patrol agents came into contact with more than 250,000 migrants. On one day in December, 10,000 cars were stopped.
Since then, the number of migrants arriving at the southern border has dropped dramatically. In February, investigators arrested approximately 140,000 people. More than 137,000 people were arrested in March, and the number in April was even lower at about 129,000, according to a person familiar with the statistics who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss figures that have yet to be finalized. It is expected that this will happen.
The downward trend in border numbers could help Mr. Biden make the case that he is serious about border security.
Tuesday's talks are part of continuing talks related to the Los Angeles Declaration, a 2022 agreement signed by the United States, Mexico, Guatemala, Brazil and others. The agreement stipulates that each country will be responsible for securing its borders and promote new legal immigration initiatives.
Christie Canegaro, acting assistant secretary of homeland security, said the agreement is important because it “provides a framework and common goals.”
U.S. officials note that as a direct result of the agreement, so-called Safe Mobility Offices have been established in countries such as Colombia, Guatemala, Ecuador and Costa Rica. These offices have helped the Biden administration increase the processing of refugees from the region.
The United States on Monday imposed visa restrictions on executives of Colombian companies that transport migrants by sea, saying the move was “primarily aimed at facilitating irregular migration to the United States.”