US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador led their respective delegations in a meeting held in Mexico City to discuss strategies to reduce the influx of migrants at the shared border between the two countries. This meeting took place amidst a situation where as many as 10,000 individuals per day crossed illegally into the United States in December alone.
During the two-hour discussion, Mexican leaders briefed the U.S. delegation about the new measures being implemented in Mexico City, particularly in the fight against human traffickers who transport migrants on trains or buses heading to the border. A senior Biden administration official expressed their impression of the positive impact of these new measures, noting a significant drop in the number of crossings in recent days.
Mexican President López Obrador mentioned on social media that “important agreements have been reached” during the meeting, without providing specific details. U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas characterized the talks as “productive.”
The meeting comes at a time when the number of migrants reaching the border has reached record levels. In 2023, over half a million migrants, many fleeing crime, poverty, and regional conflict, crossed the challenging jungles of the Darien Gap into Central America. This figure represents a doubling compared to the previous year, highlighting the urgency of addressing the migrant crisis.
The collaboration between the U.S. and Mexico in discussing and implementing measures to manage the influx of migrants underscores the shared interest in finding solutions to this complex and ongoing challenge.
