The State Department announced that Secretary of State Marco Rubio will push El Salvadorian officials to accept deported foreign nationals from countries that won’t accept United States deportation flights.
Special envoy to Latin America Mauricio Claver-Carone told reporters on Jan. 31 that Rubio’s visit to the Central American country will include diplomatic measures to press the nation’s cooperation with the United States’ deportation efforts.
According to Claver-Carone, the United States hopes to reenact a “safe third country” deal for deportees that would allow the movement of illegal immigrants out of the United States even if their home country won’t cooperate. This deal was canceled under the Biden administration.
The agreement would allow foreign nationals to seek asylum in El Salvador after removal from the United States and to be barred from seeking asylum in America.
“During the first Trump administration, El Salvador was one of three countries that had a ‘safe third’ agreement with the United States, which will also be a topic of discussion,” Claver-Carone said.
Rubio’s multi-country visit will address immigration issues and focus on garnering cooperation from Panama, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and the Dominican Republic, as well as El Salvador.
The secretary of state also plans to begin the United States’ efforts in “countering Chinese influence throughout the region.”
Deportation efforts by the new Trump administration have been tumultuous, with Colombia initially turning down American deportation flights before eventually caving to demands.
This revocation was part of President Donald Trump’s efforts to fix the problem of illegal immigration.
Several nations’ citizens had a temporary protected status.
At the time, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said the extension was due to “the severe humanitarian emergency the country continues to face due to political and economic crises under the inhumane” regime of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.
Newly minted DHS Secretary Kristi Noem spoke about the revocation of that order, saying that the extension of status would have allowed those under the order to “violate our laws for another 18 months.”
“We are going to follow the process, evaluate all of these individuals that are in our country, including the Venezuelans that are here,” Noem said of the order.
The president attempted to end the Temporary Protected Status for nationals of other countries as well, including Haiti and Sudan, but was blocked by a federal court.
