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| Biden Strikes Deal to Stem Migration at Southern U.S. Border |
| The Joe Biden administration struck deals (AP) with Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico to boost security at their borders in an effort to curtail an influx of people, including a record number of unaccompanied children, arriving at the southern U.S. border.
The White House said (NYT) Mexico will maintain a force of about 10,000 troops at its southern border, while Guatemala and Honduras will deploy an additional 1,500 and 7,000 police and military personnel, respectively. However, the Honduran and Guatemalan governments denied making any specific commitments. Security forces in all three Latin American countries have been accused of perpetrating violence toward migrants (Guardian). Administration officials have stressed the need to address the root causes of migration, such as poverty, crime, and corruption. The United States has stepped up humanitarian aid (CNN) and is conducting a media campaign to discourage people from journeying to the country. |
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| Analysis |
| “Economic precariousness, government corruption, crime, violence, and—increasingly—climate change are all driving migration from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras,” CFR’s Paul J. Angelo writes.
“To stem migration from Central America, previous U.S. administrations emphasized economic prosperity and security initiatives and failed to prioritize governance. The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden will have to try something new if it hopes to keep migration from the region at manageable levels,” the Center for American Progress’s Dan Restrepo writes in Foreign Affairs. |
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