Biden administration moves to reverse Trump's migration agreements with three countries

US President Joe Biden is ending agreements signed by the Trump administration that allowed the government to send some people seeking asylum in the US to Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, the State Department said on February 6. One agreement, which was inked with Guatemala in 2019, allowed the US to send migrants seeking humanitarian protection from Honduras and El Salvador to Guatemala. Similar agreements were also signed with Honduras and El Salvador but were never implemented.

The latest move comes as part of Biden’s vow to mitigate the harshness meted out to migrants and asylum seekers from Central America. Last month, the American leader talked to his Mexican counterpart where he promised to establish a more humanitarian migration system and undo Trump’s moves including his ambitious Border Wall. However, experts have warned that if not managed properly, softening of immigration rules could lead to an influx of migrants in the US sabotaging Biden’s latest decision.

Read: Biden To Issue Executive Orders To 'reunite Families Separated At US-Mexico Border'

Read: Mexico Confirms At Least 2 Guatemalan Migrants Among 19 Dead

The US has not opened its borders 

Meanwhile, State Secretary Antony Blinken hailed the decision saying that it was meant to “establish a cooperative, mutually respectful approach to managing migration across the region” as well as to provide a “safe and orderly processing of asylum seekers at the US border.” However, he clarified that revocation of agreements did not mean that America had opened its borders for all.  

In a statement later, the Guatemalan government welcomed Biden’s decision asserting that it was looking forward to work with America to resolve issues likes illegal immigration, protection of rights and economic dev elopement amongst others. Every year, thousands of Guatemalans try to enter the US. With regard to the same, the government issued a warning asking residents to refrain from entering the US for better living conditions and also stay away from smugglers who falsely claim that presence of minors will guarantee entrance into the US.

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Earlier this week, Biden ordered a major review of asylum processing at the US-Mexico border and legal immigration system as he seeks to undo former President Donald Trump’s policies. While speaking to media reporters on a conference call, two senior administration officials said that the newly minted President will create a task force to reunite migrant families who were separated at the US-Mexico border by Trump’s 2018 “zero-tolerance” border strategy.