US and Mexico hold talks on immigration and border control policy following AMLO inauguration
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his Mexican counterpart, Marcelo Ebrard, will meet today to discuss immigration and border security concerns one day after the new Mexican government took office.
The migration issue came to a head last Sunday when hundreds of asylum seekers—the so-called “migrant caravan”—attempted to rush the US border in Tijuana. In response, US border authorities fired tear gas and closed the border for hours.
The Trump administration has used inflammatory rhetoric surrounding these events to demand more stringent immigration policies, specifically the externalization of the US border. Mexico has expressed the need to deal with the thousands of asylum-seeking migrants that await entry to the US. The proposed solution for both sides is to process US asylum applications in Mexico.
Although Mexico City has yet to sign off on the plan, it appears likely that an agreement on border externalization will be reached today. For President Trump, this reduction in incoming Central American immigration would be a major political victory. Mexico’s new government could face domestic criticism for such a move, but it could be justified if the US commits much-needed resources to Mexico for asylum processing.
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