U.S. to spend $252 million in aid to Central America to curb illegal immigration
The U.S. government has earmarked $252 million to boost job opportunities and increase public safety in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras in an attempt to deal with the desperate circumstances that are sending thousands of Central Americans to try to enter illegally into the United States, a high ranking State Department official said Friday.
The announcement was made as the Trump administration’s efforts to curb illegal immigration begin to show results. “We have been able to reduce the flow of illegal immigration to the United States by 84 percent last month,” said Jon Piechowski, deputy assistant secretary for the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs.
Piechowski told el Nuevo Herald that the aid will be provided as part of an alliance forged between the United States and the three Central American nations to promote prosperity and ensure the security of the region.
Of the $252 million announced, $58 million would go to El Salvador, $107 million to Guatemala and another $58 million to Honduras. The rest of the money would be allocated to regional programs, he said.
“Our actions in the region always seek to provide support and strengthen the institutions, law enforcement and the rule of law, but we also seek to contribute in the construction of a stronger private sector and to help the health sector to deal with the COVID-19 crisis,” Piechowski said.
“This $252 million aid will complement development and security plans in the three countries to deal with the fundamental causes of immigration, so that citizens can have better opportunities to find jobs and to live in safety so they don’t feel the need to start the dangerous and unfruitful journey to the United States,” he added.
Some of those programs provide loans to small and medium-size companies to help them expand and create new jobs, Piechowski said.
The announcement of aid coincides with the hardening of the U.S. immigration policy and efforts to increase control over the border with Mexico.
To those currently contemplating entering illegally into the United States, Piechowski recommended they abandon the idea.
“The trip is risky, the trip is unfruitful and the trip, particularly in these days of the pandemic, is much more dangerous”, he said. “The situation has changed and we are now maintaining control at the border.”
This story was originally published June 26, 2020 at 5:07 PM.
