The Trump Administration has created yet another barrier in its quest to make seeking asylum in the U.S. more difficult for migrants. Recently, The Trump Administration signed an agreement with Honduras that could require asylum-seekers traveling through Honduras to apply for asylum in that country, rather than the U.S. The Administration signed a similar deal with El Salvador shortly before its agreement with Honduras, as well as a comparable agreement with Guatemala in July 2019. None of these agreements have gone into effect yet, but would affect any migrants traveling through those countries to the U.S., whether seeking protection under asylum laws or the Convention Against Torture, a United Nations treaty.
Collectively, Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala are the three countries that produce the most migrants seeking asylum in the U.S. at the Mexican border. Under each of these three agreements, the U.S. ostensibly can send migrants back to these countries if the migrants did not first apply for asylum in those countries when they traveled through them. However, the exact terms of these agreements are still unclear.
Another point that is not clear is why Honduras would agree to such a deal. Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez currently is facing prosecution in the U.S. after being accused of accepting campaign contributions from drug traffickers. The other curious element of these agreements is all three countries have extremely high rates of poverty, crime, and corruption, which calls into question the ability of these countries to keep migrants safe from harm. Although the U.S. supposedly plans to help the countries increase their capacity to safely accept asylum-seekers, current conditions would make it nearly impossible to guarantee the safety of migrants whom they accepted.
No matter the type of immigration issue you are facing, the skilled and knowledgeable immigration lawyers of Peek Law Group are here to assist you. We handle many different types of immigration cases every day and have the kind of strategic experience and skills that are necessary to reach the desired outcome. By calling our office as quickly as possible after your legal issue arises, we will have the best opportunity to resolve your immigration law case successfully.