On October 22, a major summit on illegal immigration to the United States was held in Palenque, Mexico. This summit brought together the leaders of several Latin American countries, including Cuba, Colombia, Honduras, Venezuela, Ecuador and Guatemala, as well as the Haitian Prime Minister. The objective of this meeting was to find regional solutions to deal with this migratory phenomenon which has significant human and political consequences.
Illegal immigration to the United States is a major problem in Latin America. Every year, thousands of migrants flee their home countries in search of a better life in the United States. This migratory route is often perilous and exposes migrants to many dangers, such as violence, abuse and precarious living conditions.
According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the United States-Mexico border is the deadliest land migration route in the world. In 2022, the IOM recorded 686 deaths and disappearances of migrants at this border.
Mexico, as a major transit country for migrants, plays a key role in solving this migration crisis. Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has expressed his desire to find regional cooperation to address this problem. By bringing together leaders from migrants’ countries of origin, it hopes to put in place common measures and policies aimed at ensuring the safety and well-being of migrants while respecting immigration laws and regulations.
This summit also attracted the attention of the United States. US President Joe Biden recently requested an exceptional package of $105.85 billion to deal with migrant arrivals at the southern border. However, some critics point out the inconsistency of American migration policy, which oscillates between opening and closing the border depending on political priorities.
Amnesty International also called for asylum seekers to be respected and for discrimination against migrants to end. Emphasis is placed on the need to address the underlying causes of illegal immigration, such as poverty, conflicts and political crises in countries of origin.
In conclusion, the Summit on Illegal Immigration to the United States in Palenque, Mexico, brought together Latin American leaders to discuss this pressing issue. Although concrete and effective solutions require time and effort, this summit marks the start of a regional dialogue aimed at finding ways to prevent the human tragedies associated with illegal immigration and promoting a more coordinated and humane approach to this complex question.