President Joe Biden announced an immediate halt to asylum processing at the U.S.-Mexico border when illegal entries surpass 2,500 per day, a significant policy change amid criticism from Republicans over rising new arrivals. With current entries at approximately 4,000 daily, this measure aims to curb large-scale immigration but has raised concerns among advocates about the safety of migrants and potential violations of international obligations. Legal challenges to the policy are expected. The measure would halt asylum processes until daily illegal crossing arrests drop below 1,500 for a consecutive week, a figure last seen during the COVID-19 pandemic. Unlike past restrictions under Title 42, denied asylum seekers will now face deportation orders, risking criminal prosecution and multi-year entry bans if they attempt to re-enter. Furthermore, migrants can express fears for their safety to U.S. asylum officers but under stricter standards than before. Questions remain about the logistical feasibility, as Mexico will only accept a limited number of non-Mexican deportees, and there are significant barriers to deporting migrants to distant countries. Unaccompanied children are exempt from these rules, potentially encouraging families to send minors alone. Mexico plays a crucial role in assisting the U.S. with immigration challenges. The U.S. faces difficulties deporting people to over 100 countries due to limited funding, diplomatic leverage, and logistical hurdles. A 1997 court ruling restricts the detention of families with children under 18 to 20 days, complicating efforts to deport them swiftly. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is also limited by funding, with resources to detain only about 34,000 single adults at a time. Mexico has agreed to accept up to 30,000 individuals monthly from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, but not from other countries. Additionally, Mexico has tightened measures to prevent migrants from reaching the U.S. border by limiting travel on freight trains and buses, which has resulted in many migrants being stranded in Mexican cities. Alicia Bárcena, Mexico’s foreign relations secretary, stated that the country would not permit more than 4,000 illegal entries daily. President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum is expected to maintain current policies. Previous efforts to deter asylum seekers under the Biden and Trump administrations had limited success due to resource constraints. A specific rule under the Immigration and Nationality Act used by both administrations has been contested by advocacy groups. Original Text by Elliot Spagat, published in -> Chapelboro.

Hace casi dos años, el presidente Biden emitió la Declaración de Los Ángeles sobre Migración y Protección, respaldada por 20 líderes de todo el hemisferio occidental. Este es el primer marco de este tipo que promueve una acción coordinada bajo tres pilares: (1) abordar las causas fundamentales y apoyar la integración de los migrantes para una estabilización a largo plazo; (2) ampliar las vías legales; (3) fortalecer la aplicación humanitaria de la ley. El 7 de mayo de 2024, Guatemala fue sede de la tercera reunión ministerial de la Declaración, donde participaron ministros de Relaciones Exteriores y altos representantes de 20 países firmantes. El secretario de Estado, Antony Blinken, encabezó la delegación estadounidense. Blinken también anunció 578 millones de dólares en ayuda humanitaria, económica y de desarrollo para ayudar a los países socios y las comunidades de acogida. Los países firmantes presentaron los avances que han logrado en iniciativas como fortalecer la aplicación de la ley de manera humanitaria, ampliar las vías legales para la migración y la protección y abordar las causas fundamentales y apoyar la integración de los migrantes para fomentar la estabilización a más largo plazo. Estados Unidos tomó medidas el 6 de mayo para imponer restricciones de visa a miembros ejecutivos de varias compañías navieras colombianas por facilitar la migración irregular a Estados Unidos. La cooperación entre Estados Unidos y Costa Rica se fortaleció con el establecimiento de un nuevo acuerdo de socios en el intercambio de datos biométricos. Además, Estados Unidos está desplegando recursos adicionales en Guatemala y aumentará el conocimiento público de la aplicación móvil CBP One. Además, en el contexto de la Declaración de Los Ángeles, Estados Unidos lidera el comité de acción contra la trata de personas y el tráfico de migrantes. Quienes cumplan con los requisitos para los permisos humanitarios temporales (paroles) para Cuba, Haití, Nicaragua y Venezuela (CHNV) pueden, una vez otorgado el permiso, solicitar autorización de trabajo y comenzar a trabajar de inmediato. USAID anunció nuevas iniciativas, como “Vecinos Laborales”, para aumentar el acceso a vías legales de empleo temporal para nuevos países de origen y destino de migrantes. Por último, los firmantes reafirmaron su compromiso de abordar las razones subyacentes de la migración con compromisos de varios países para luchar contra la trata de personas y la migración irregular. Texto Original -> Diario de Tijuana

Según reseña Diario de Cuba, contrario a la narrativa que atribuye la migración a las sanciones estadounidenses, datos recientes muestran que países como México, Honduras y Guatemala encabezan la lista de emigrados hacia Estados Unidos desde 2020. Cuba y Venezuela contribuyen con porcentajes menores, desafiando la afirmación de que las sanciones son el principal impulsor de la migración. El análisis revela que, más allá de las acusaciones políticas, la ola migratoria tiene raíces profundas en los problemas internos de Cuba y Venezuela. Ambos países enfrentan desafíos significativos, desde élites corruptas hasta sistemas de gobernanza que perpetúan la miseria y restringen las libertades políticas y civiles. Por Odra Campero. Texto Completo -> DiarioLasAméricas

Former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger explained in an interview recently that Europe had made a serious mistake by creating within itself, through mass immigration, populations that reject all its norms, values and a “constitutional basis”. He deplored the fact that in 2023 in Berlin, almost 80 years after the Holocaust, people, with complete impunity, are shouting “Death to the Jews” in the streets.By Drieu Godefridi. Full Text-> GatestoneInstitute

Migration in the Western Hemisphere has undergone a remarkable evolution in recent decades. What was once a conversation between the countries of origin of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) and the receiving countries of the North, has become a complex issue that affects almost all countries in the region. The change in migration patterns has been most pronounced since the early 2010s, when political and economic crises, as well as natural disasters, displaced millions from Venezuela and hundreds of thousands from northern Central America, Cuba, and Haiti.
As a result, almost every country in the Americas is experiencing an increase in the number of immigrants, many of whom arrive as asylum seekers or in need of humanitarian support, sometimes including large numbers of unaccompanied minors. The COVID-19 pandemic and uneven immigrant integration mechanisms have further contributed to the rise in northward migration, with the US-Mexico border experiencing record numbers of unauthorized immigrants in 2022.
Venezuelans make up the largest group of displaced migrants in the region, with approximately 7.4 million displaced since 2015, and it is estimated that more than a third of them are currently in Colombia. Haitians have also been migrating to countries in the region since the 2010 earthquake, with many settling in the United States, the Dominican Republic, Chile, and Brazil. Cuban immigrants have been leaving their country due to its political and economic situation, and many go to the United States and other countries in the region. Since the 2018 political crackdown in Nicaragua, around 200,000 Nicaraguans have applied for asylum in Costa Rica, with some fleeing to Panama and the United States.
Different countries in the region have diverse immigrant populations, with Colombia being the country that hosts the largest immigrant population due to the arrival of Venezuelans, while immigrants from the United States represent two-thirds of all immigrants in Mexico.
There are subregional mobility agreements that have made migration more fluid and easier to manage, such as the CSME, the Mercosur Residence Agreement, the CA-4 agreement, and the Andean Community mobility agreement.
Government responses to new arrivals have varied, with most countries offering legal status to displaced Venezuelans through their asylum system, regular visa channels, or regional mobility agreements. However, legal status is often temporary and may not provide full access to the job market. Haitians have faced more explicit hostility and Nicaraguans have received more support from Costa Rica, though the government has made its asylum system more restrictive. Mexico has extended both asylum protections and humanitarian visas to arriving migrants, but they often face administrative barriers to long-term inclusion in Mexican society.
Many immigrants who have professional skills find themselves in low-paying positions despite attempts by some countries to provide legal pathways and education for integration into the labor market and society.
Governments are trying to balance controlling their borders, building legal pathways and developing protection systems, but often they prioritize one or two priorities over others. Despite lacking recent experience with mass migration, these countries have shown openness and pragmatism in handling the situation.

In response to the growing number of countries facing migration and humanitarian protection in the Western Hemisphere, multiple regional forums have been established. These include sub-regional agreements on mobility, the Quito Process, the Inter-Agency Coordination Platform for Venezuelan Refugees and Migrants (R4V), and the Regional Conference on Migration between countries in North and Central America and the Regional Conference on Migration in South America. . The 2022 Los Angeles Declaration on Migration and Protection, to which 21 countries have committed, highlights the need for international cooperation to address the challenges of integrating displaced populations. While challenges remain, the increased focus on migration presents an opportunity for governments to develop effective mobility policies, institutions, and management throughout the hemisphere

*This is a summary of the article-> In a Dramatic Shift, the Americas Have Become a Leading Migration Destination by By Andrew Selee, Valerie Lacarte, Ariel G. Ruiz Soto, Diego Chaves-González, María Jesús Mora, and Andrea Tanco

El 6 de octubre, los ministros de Exteriores y representantes de los 21 países parte de la Declaración de Los Ángeles sobre Migración y Protección se reunieron en Lima (Perú), para promover una respuesta conjunta a la migración irregular y el desplazamiento forzado en el Hemisferio Occidental. Los países parte reafirmaron su compromiso de generar las condiciones necesarias para una migración segura, ordenada, humana y regular, en consonancia con los tres pilares temáticos para la acción establecidos en la Declaración de Los Ángeles: 1) estabilidad y asistencia para las comunidades; 2) vías regulares de migración y protección internacional; y 3) gestión humana de la migración. Texto Completo -> DoS

English -> The October 6 Lima Ministerial Meeting on the Los Angeles Declaration convened endorsing countries to discuss successes, opportunities, and next steps in addressing the challenges posed by irregular migration in the Western Hemisphere.  Endorsing countries identified concrete and ambitious commitments to maintain the momentum of the Los Angeles Declaration initiative, presented during the Ninth Summit of the Americas in June 2022. Full Text -> DoS

The number of migrants illegally entering the United States from Mexico and the Northern Triangle in August was down 50% from a year ago. The number of those coming from Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela was up 175%.By Ambassador Mark Green. Full Text -> WilsonCenter

Traducción de cortesía -> La cantidad de inmigrantes que ingresaron ilegalmente a los Estados Unidos desde México y el Triángulo del Norte en agosto disminuyó un 50% con respecto al año anterior. El número de los provenientes de Cuba, Nicaragua y Venezuela aumentó en un 175%.

Title 42 gives the Border Patrol the power to remove some migrants without allowing them to apply for asylum. But the U.S. can only expel migrants who will accept their own countries, which means that because of strained relations, Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua are also not receiving deportees from U.S. grounds. “That has led the U.S. government to allow citizens from those countries to remain in the country to pursue their asylum claims, likely encouraging more people fleeing the three countries to make the dangerous journey to the U.S,” notes the Wall Street Journal (WSJ).by Sabrina Martín Rondon. Full Text -> ElAmerican

Traducción de cortesía ->

El Título 42 otorga a la Patrulla Fronteriza el poder de expulsar a algunos migrantes sin permitirles solicitar asilo. Pero EE. UU. solo puede expulsar a los inmigrantes que acepten sus propios países, lo que significa que, debido a las tensiones en las relaciones, Cuba, Venezuela y Nicaragua tampoco reciben deportados desde territorio estadounidense. “Eso ha llevado al gobierno de los EE. UU. a permitir que los ciudadanos de esos países permanezcan en el país para presentar sus solicitudes de asilo, probablemente alentando a más personas que huyen de los tres países a hacer el peligroso viaje a los EE. UU.”, señala el Wall Street Journal (WSJ) .

The [Biden] administration’s focus on migration at the Summit reflects the reality facing the region. In recent years, we have seen changes in demographics, routes, and destination countries for migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers. In the past decade, Darién Gap crossings have increased significantly, migration to Latin American countries from within and outside the continent has increased, and the people arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border are no longer predominantly single adults from Mexico and Central America. In response to migration flows, governments in Latin America and the U.S. have been shifting their policies and practices through new visa requirements, border security and enforcement efforts, cooperation to address the root causes of migration, humanitarian assistance, and programs focused on protection and other legal pathways. Ahead of the Summit, WOLA and partners developed guiding principles for a regional framework on migration and protection in the Americas. Full Text -> WOLA

Traducción de cortesía -> El enfoque de la administración [ Biden] sobre la migración en la Cumbre refleja la realidad que enfrenta la región. En los últimos años, hemos visto cambios en la demografía, las rutas y los países de destino de los migrantes, refugiados y solicitantes de asilo. En la última década, los cruces del Tapón del Darién han aumentado significativamente, ha aumentado la migración a países latinoamericanos desde dentro y fuera del continente, y las personas que llegan a la frontera entre EE. UU. y México ya no son predominantemente adultos solteros de México y Centroamérica. En respuesta a los flujos migratorios, los gobiernos de América Latina y los EE. UU. han cambiado sus políticas y prácticas a través de nuevos requisitos de visa, seguridad fronteriza y esfuerzos de cumplimiento, cooperación para abordar las causas fundamentales de la migración, asistencia humanitaria y programas centrados en la protección y otros. vías legales. Antes de la Cumbre, WOLA y sus socios desarrollaron principios rectores para un marco regional sobre migración y protección en las Américas.

Traducción al español -> Google Translación

Blinken reafirmó que la Cumbre de las Américas en junio abordará los “motores de la migración irregular al adoptar una declaración para la migración y protección que delinee los principios compartidos para una respuesta coordinada para la migración y el desplazamiento forzado”. La canciller panameña propuso trabajar en objetivos como la homologación de políticas migratorias y ampliar lucha contra el crimen organizado transnacional. Texto Completo-> VOA

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