Harris, Guatemala community groups talk migration

One day after Vice President Kamala Harris told Guatemala's president that the U.S. is planning to increase relief to the Northern Triangle region, she met virtually with community organizers from that country to talk about migration.

"The word diplomacy generally suggest a relationship between government leaders," Harris said. "But I believe it has to be broader than that."

"That's why we are building a comprehensive strategy that includes business leaders, foundation leaders and community leaders like you," she said.

Harris is ramping up of her diplomatic efforts to address the root causes of migration from the region, a role she was given by President Joe Biden last month. She has plans to hold a similar virtual meeting with the Mexican president next month, before heading to visit Mexico and Guatemala in June.

The United States has agreed to train members of a Guatemalan task force responsible for protecting the country’s borders and putting a brake on uncontrolled migration.

The U.S. will send 16 employees of the Department of Homeland Security to aid in the effort. The United States will also help Guatemala to build shelters for returned migrants and help the migrants transition back to life in their home communities.

The agreement comes amid a spike in the number of migrant children arriving at the U.S. border, many of them Guatemalan.

"I believe you know exactly what is happening on the ground, exactly how much people are suffering and exactly why people are leaving their homes," Harris said.

"What has worked from your perspective and what has not?  And what might work, what has not been tried that could work," Harris asked.

The Border Patrol picked up a record number of unaccompanied children attempting to cross the border in March, and the influx of migrants has put a strain on the federal departments tasked with detaining, housing and processing those migrants.