“Significant,” “important” progress was made in discussions on immigration between Mexican president Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) and U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken yesterday.
The U.S. secretary of homeland security, Alejandro Mayorkas, who was also present, said the talks were “very productive,” adding, “the regional challenge of migration requires regional solutions, and we appreciate Mexico’s commitment to continue its efforts alongside us and with others.”
But the leaders provided scanty details about any decisions reached in their closed-door meeting. The president of Mexico said that an agreement has been reached with United States officials to keep border crossings between the two countries open after temporary closures during a high number of crossings.
Previously, AMLO had urged the U.S. to offer more support to Latin America instead of putting up “barriers, barbed wire fences or thinking about walls.”
Many illegal aliens entering the U.S. come from far beyond Mexico. One estimate says that over a half million people have crossed the Darién Gap jungle into Central America this year. One caravan, said to include 7,500 people, is making its way through the Mexican state of Chiapas, which borders Guatemala. Although most of them are from Central America, Cuba, Venezuela, and Haiti, but some are from as far afield as Turkey, Iran, Syria, and Cameroon. Some are hoping to stay in Mexico.
Previously AMLO said that the U.S. wanted Mexico to do more to block immigration at its own southern border. He also urged the U.S. to normalize relations with Cuba.
On December 20, a number of U.S. commercial and agricultural interests, including the International Fresh Produce Association, sent a letter to Mayorkas urging the reopening of two international rail crossings that have been closed at El Paso, and Eagle Pass, TX. “The closure of the rail crossings is rippling back into the U.S. supply chain and having negative impacts on the U.S. economy.”
The letter went on to say that “we understand there is a migrant crisis, but a supply chain and potential food security crisis in Mexico can be avoided by reopening the international crossings. We urge you to take immediate action.”
Business interests in Texas have also complained that policing to prevent immigrants from entering have created problems for cross-border trade.
President Biden, facing criticism for the inefficacy of migration enforcement, has told Republicans that he is willing to “make significant compromises” on the border if they support more aid for Ukraine and Israel, according to The New York Times.
