President Biden has deployed high-ranking officials to Mexico City this week amidst a surge in migrants crossing the U.S. border and a lack of consensus in Congress on funding for border security.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, and Homeland Security Adviser Liz Sherwood-Randall traveled to Mexico on Wednesday to meet with President Andrés Manuel López Obrador. The unprecedented influx of unauthorized crossings has strained federal and local resources in U.S. communities.
The State Department, in anticipation of the visit, stated that Blinken would discuss the surge in irregular migration in the Western Hemisphere. The focus will be on identifying ways for Mexico and the United States to address border security challenges, with an emphasis on actions that facilitate the reopening of key ports of entry along the shared border.
A spokesperson from the National Security Council indicated that officials from the Biden administration anticipated engaging in “robust conversations” on managing the border humanely, enforcing laws, and addressing the root causes of migration.
Highlighting the collaborative efforts, the spokesperson emphasized Mexico as one of the strongest partners on migration since the beginning of the Biden-Harris Administration, emphasizing the need for strengthened cooperation in addressing shared responsibilities. President Biden has deployed
The White House reported that President Biden discussed ongoing efforts to manage migratory flows in the Western Hemisphere during a recent conversation with President López Obrador. Both leaders agreed on the urgent necessity for additional enforcement actions to facilitate the reopening of key ports of entry along the shared border.
This visit follows Border Patrol processing nearly 50,000 migrants who entered the U.S. illegally in a five-day span last week. In November, Border Patrol agents apprehended over 191,000 migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border unlawfully. The current month has seen as many as 10,000 daily apprehensions at the southern border.
Addressing the issue, Mexico’s president expressed willingness to help but emphasized the need for increased U.S. aid to the region and the easing of sanctions on Cuba and Venezuela.
“We have always talked about addressing the causes [of migration]. The ideal thing is to help poor countries,” López Obrador said, according to the Associated Press.