Illustration Credit: Dave Granlund, Cagle Cartoons
The end of the first month of the Biden administration has been accompanied by a host of Latin American policy changes as the United States continues to rework its immigration policies and confront mounting challenges to democracy in the Western Hemisphere. Among these executive orders is President Joe Biden’s decision to withdraw from “safe third country” agreements. These agreements allowed the U.S. government to redirect migrants seeking asylum to Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador, where they could then apply for refuge in those countries. Guatemala, the only country that actively implemented the agreement, paused its program in March 2020 as a result of COVID-19.
The decision to withdraw comes on the heels of a Senate Foreign Relations Committee report that highlighted the lack of capacity in Guatemala to build an effective asylum system. The report found that, of the upwards of 945 migrants sent to Guatemala after being denied asylum in the U.S., less than 40 actually applied for asylum, and none have been granted protection to date. President Biden’s decision to withdraw signals his continued effort to undo the restrictive immigration policies of the previous administration and his dedication to establishing mutual respect and collaboration in the region.
Another recent immigration move by the Biden administration was the suspension of deportation flights to Haiti, which is also partially in response to concerns about the current Haitian conflict over President Jovenel Moïse’s term length and anti-corruption demonstrations. The Haitian opposition, known as the Ako Final Teras Garden (Terrace Garden Final Accord), argue that President Moïse’s term ended on February 7, and chose Joseph Mecene Jean-Louis, a 72-year-old Supreme Court judge, as the interim president of a transitional government this week. Yet, President Moïse disregarded the appointment and reiterated his plan to remain in power until February 2022, at which time he will have served his full five-year term, a plan supported by both the OAS and the Biden administration.
Emphasizing U.S. dedication to humane immigration policy in the region, President Biden ordered a 100-day moratorium on deportation while the existing immigration system undergoes review. However, on January 26, a Trump-appointed Texas judge blocked the moratorium, allowing ICE to resume deportations to Haiti and Central America, and defying the new administration’s guidelines that deportations be limited to suspected terrorists and convicted felons until the end of the review.
Aligning with changing immigration policies and concerns over democracy in the hemisphere, the Biden administration also turned down a meeting request from President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador, who was in Washington for an unannounced visit this week. Not only did President Bukele’s surprise trip create problems for a pandemic-conscious White House, but Biden officials did not want the meeting to signal U.S. support for President Bukele before upcoming Salvadoran legislative elections. Criticism of President Bukele has grown since Democrats took control of the U.S. government over President Bukele’s embrace of the Trump administration’s immigration policies (El Salvador signed the “safe third country” agreements), coupled with his tough governing style, which have raised concerns about his respect for the rule of law and democracy. Despite concerns and the lack of a meeting, the Biden administration’s USD $4 billion plan to address the root causes of Central American migration will include El Salvador.
The decision to withdraw comes on the heels of a Senate Foreign Relations Committee report that highlighted the lack of capacity in Guatemala to build an effective asylum system. The report found that, of the upwards of 945 migrants sent to Guatemala after being denied asylum in the U.S., less than 40 actually applied for asylum, and none have been granted protection to date. President Biden’s decision to withdraw signals his continued effort to undo the restrictive immigration policies of the previous administration and his dedication to establishing mutual respect and collaboration in the region.
Another recent immigration move by the Biden administration was the suspension of deportation flights to Haiti, which is also partially in response to concerns about the current Haitian conflict over President Jovenel Moïse’s term length and anti-corruption demonstrations. The Haitian opposition, known as the Ako Final Teras Garden (Terrace Garden Final Accord), argue that President Moïse’s term ended on February 7, and chose Joseph Mecene Jean-Louis, a 72-year-old Supreme Court judge, as the interim president of a transitional government this week. Yet, President Moïse disregarded the appointment and reiterated his plan to remain in power until February 2022, at which time he will have served his full five-year term, a plan supported by both the OAS and the Biden administration.
Emphasizing U.S. dedication to humane immigration policy in the region, President Biden ordered a 100-day moratorium on deportation while the existing immigration system undergoes review. However, on January 26, a Trump-appointed Texas judge blocked the moratorium, allowing ICE to resume deportations to Haiti and Central America, and defying the new administration’s guidelines that deportations be limited to suspected terrorists and convicted felons until the end of the review.
Aligning with changing immigration policies and concerns over democracy in the hemisphere, the Biden administration also turned down a meeting request from President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador, who was in Washington for an unannounced visit this week. Not only did President Bukele’s surprise trip create problems for a pandemic-conscious White House, but Biden officials did not want the meeting to signal U.S. support for President Bukele before upcoming Salvadoran legislative elections. Criticism of President Bukele has grown since Democrats took control of the U.S. government over President Bukele’s embrace of the Trump administration’s immigration policies (El Salvador signed the “safe third country” agreements), coupled with his tough governing style, which have raised concerns about his respect for the rule of law and democracy. Despite concerns and the lack of a meeting, the Biden administration’s USD $4 billion plan to address the root causes of Central American migration will include El Salvador.
