The United States Government announced – in a press conference on Wednesday, February 21, 2024 – the entry into force of a new visa restriction policy for transportation operators that facilitates irregular migration from Latin American countries to the United States.
This action targets owners, executives, and senior officials of land, sea, and air transportation (charter) companies that facilitate irregular migration flows from the region to the United States.
As Eric Jacobstein, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Central American Affairs in the Office of Western Hemisphere Affairs, explained, the action will begin with dialogue with regional partners and carrier executives. It will be them, first and foremost, who will face the consequences if they continue to facilitate irregular migration flows.
“We start with dialogue. We are talking with our partners in the region about the new policy. The idea, with regard to charter flights, is that many of them, especially those from Cuba to Managua, are not for tourism, but for [transportar] People trying to immigrate irregularly to the United States. “Therefore, we evaluate each charter airline or transport company to determine whether it facilitates irregular migration,” the Undersecretary explained.
Jacobstein also mentioned in his interventions that the immigration authorities are aware that there are users on social networks promoting the services of transport companies. He added that they are evaluating the role of social media networks in implementing the new policy, although he did not specify whether users would face consequences.
The measure that took effect today sets a precedent for the sanctions announced on November 21, 2023, directed at owners, executives and senior officials of companies operating… Charter flights to Nicaragua. The sanctions came in response to the increase in companies providing services to immigrants of different nationalities to begin illegal migration from the Central American country to the United States.
“The Biden administration has a three-part strategy to address regional migration,” which includes a “historic increase in legal, safe, and orderly procedures,” said Emily Mendrala, deputy assistant to the president and chief advisor for immigration and southwest border coordination. Migration pathways, joint efforts with international partners and focus on law enforcement” are in line with the country’s values.
When referring to legal channels, Mendralla emphasized that President Biden led “the most significant increase in legal and safe immigration channels in decades” (among which he mentioned Family reunification Expanding the admissions program refugees).
Blas Nuñez Nieto, Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Border and Immigration Policy, stressed the US government's concern about the presence and leadership of organized crime in migration flows in the hemisphere, urging migrants to choose existing, regular routes.
As the Under Secretary reported, since the lifting of the public health emergency in the United States on May 12, 2023, more than 550,000 migrants of different nationalities found at the border with Mexico have been returned (including more than 90,000 relatives of the units).
“The numbers are record numbers for the time we have been monitoring them. Those who wish to come to the United States and cross our borders illegally will face these consequences [repatriación]. “We ask them not to do this, and instead to use the legal channels and avenues that we have created for those who are patient and can do so without having to resort to organized crime or wolves,” Blas Nuñez Neto said.
They have benefited so far from Parole Humanity More than 357 thousand citizens of Cuba, Nicaragua, Haiti and Venezuela. at the same time, CBP One mobile app It allowed more than 459,000 migrants to enter across the border with Mexico.
At the press conference, it was emphasized that those who choose to immigrate irregularly to the United States will face consequences. In this regard, Mendrala stressed that legal means are being implemented to secure the borders of the United States and “return individuals who have no legal basis to remain in the country.”
The new measures, designed to reduce irregular migration, entail greater risks and costs for migrants. With reduced access to transport companies, migrants may face higher wages to move around the region or have to rely on independent transport companies, increasing their exposure to additional risks (exploitation, violence or abuse).
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