Harris to Allocate $300 Million in Aid to Three Northern Central American Countries

(Photo by Bloomberg News)

[Asia Economy Reporter Yujin Cho] The Biden administration has decided to invest $300 million to address the issue of illegal immigration at the southern border.

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris announced that $300 million in funding will be allocated as part of financial support for the three Northern Central American countries?El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras?that make up the majority of the migrant caravans from Latin America, Bloomberg reported on the 26th (local time).

The news agency cited a senior administration official saying that Vice President Harris made these remarks during a virtual meeting with Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei to discuss funding.

In the call, Vice President Harris emphasized increasing aid to the three Northern Central American countries and strengthening cooperation between the two countries to control the surge of illegal immigration at the southern border.

This decision is part of restoring aid that former President Donald Trump had cut off, based on the view that stopping financial support to these three countries?plagued by extreme poverty and crime such as violence?has resulted in an increase in illegal immigrants.

Unlike the Trump administration’s hardline anti-immigration policies, President Biden’s compassionate pro-immigration stance has led to a surge of Latin American migrants attempting to enter the U.S., becoming a major concern for the government.

In particular, after introducing immigration reform legislation that opened a path to citizenship instead of deporting minor illegal immigrants, the number of unaccompanied minors attempting illegal entry has soared to the highest level in 20 years.

Earlier, President Biden entrusted Vice President Harris with resolving the immigration issue, which has escalated into a political crisis. Harris’s main task is to establish strategic partnerships with Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries to prevent migrants from these regions entering the U.S.

Vice President Harris is scheduled to hold a virtual meeting with the Mexican president next month and plans to visit Mexico and Guatemala in person in June.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.