US Homeland Security chief Alejandro Mayorkas to meet with Mexican government officials

US Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas will today conclude bilateral talks focused on normalizing border relations with his counterparts in Mexico City.

In the footsteps of a productive visit by Vice President Kamala Harris, Mayorkas is hoping to make headway on ending border restrictions that have been in place for 15 months. Mayorkas’ visit is part of a broader Biden administration courtship of Mexico with recent decisions to end the Trump-era border wall expansion, as well as the termination of the Migrant Protection Protocols that gave Washington broad powers to deport migrants and asylum seekers.

The Biden administration has been focused on striking a new tone with Mexico in order to gain traction on a surge of immigration across the border and to broaden pandemic-weakened economic ties. Mayorkas will try to keep elements of the Trump administration’s southern successes, like convincing Mexico to deploy troops across its southern border, while incentivizing fresh cooperation with “vaccine diplomacy” to cut down on further illegal crossings and expand cross-border trade. Expect upcoming announcements regarding border reopening, freedom of movement, as well as further US vaccine donation in the coming weeks.