The United States sent an additional $ 310 million in aid to the Northern Triangle countries and trained the Guatemalan “task force” in an effort to address a massive crisis of officials on the southern border, Vice-President Harris announced.
The announcement came after a VP meeting with Guatemala President Alejandro Giamatei in a statement by Harris chief spokesperson and senior adviser Simone Sanders on Monday.
“In light of the grievous situation and acute suffering in front of millions of people in Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras, Vice President Harris announced $ 310 million in additional aid and removal of food insecurity in support of the US government for humanitarian relief.” A part of Sanders’ statement read.
Of the $ 310 million, $ 255 million will go towards humanitarian relief while $ 55 million will address food insecurity in the region.
In addition to the aid, Sanders said Harris and Giamate “committed to strengthening bilateral efforts to manage migration,” particularly given that Guatemala has “increased the number of border security personnel and its northern and There are plans to strengthen and enhance security measures on the southern borders. “
The two will also work towards opening a migrant resource center in Guatemala and “provide services for those seeking a legitimate path of migration, as well as those in need of protection, asylum referral and refugee resettlement.”
In an effort to increase security measures, the US agreed to send 16 Department of Homeland Security employees to train members of the Guatemalan task force protecting the country’s borders.
“The US government offered training,” on border security, the establishment of a joint task force for border security was discussed.
The US will also help migrants migrate back to life in communities that have agreed to build shelters in the country of Central America.
The Biden administration, undone in former President Donald Trump’s border policies, has prompted a flood of Central American and Mexican illegal migrants along the US border, including thousands of unarmed children.
Central Americans seeking asylum from the Northern Triangle countries have taken these policy steps, as well as a more welcoming tone from Democrats, as a sign that President Biden is inviting them to cross the border.
Asserting that the border is not facing a crisis, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in early March that the agency must have blamed the previous administration for the problems it faced.
However, the data suggests that migrants were flooding the border as they believed Biden would welcome them with open arms.
At the end of last month, Mexican President Andres Manuel López Obredor blamed the new president for the crisis, arguing that “hope” he set migrants with the impression that they would be allowed to move to the US.
As the crisis progressed, Biden tapped his vice president to address diplomatic measures related to his “root causes”.
Speaking to reporters earlier this month hosting a roundtable of experts from the Northern Triangle countries, Harris explained why she planned to travel to those countries but not to the US border.
“The President has asked Secretary Mayurakas to find out what is happening on the border, and he is working very hard on it and showing some progress,” the vice-president replied.
“I have been asked to lead the issue of tackling root causes in the Northern Triangle like the then Vice President. [Joe Biden] Many years ago. “
On Tuesday, Harris will attend a virtual round table conference hosted by the US Embassy in Guatemala City, which “includes representatives from Guatemalan community-based organizations.”
The meeting will “underline the importance of placing the Guatemalan people at the center of resolving the root causes of migration.”
The White House said that Harris confirmed last week that she was planning a trip to the region, but did not have a US border.
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