The Trump administration is closing several U.S. immigration processing offices set up by the Biden administration in Latin America. These offices, designed to offer migrants legal immigration options and reduce illegal border crossings, are being shut down as part of a broader reassessment of U.S. immigration policy.
According to internal documents obtained by CBS News, the U.S. State Department will cease operations at four “Safe Mobility Initiative” offices in Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Guatemala. These offices provided migrants in or passing through these countries with the opportunity to apply for legal entry into the U.S.
A Shift in Immigration Strategy
The Safe Mobility Initiative, launched in May 2023, aimed to offer alternative legal pathways for migrants, including refugee status, family-based visas, work visas, and humanitarian parole. The initiative also facilitated the vetting of migrants for potential resettlement in Canada and Spain, countries that agreed to partner with the U.S. in this effort.
However, according to the internal government documents, the Trump administration is halting operations at these offices as part of a broader “effort to assess how the United States manages migration processes to serve U.S. national interests.”
The shutdown of these offices comes after the Trump administration’s executive order suspending the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, which allows individuals fleeing conflict and persecution to apply for asylum in the U.S. through interviews and security screenings.
Legal Pathways and Asylum Restrictions
The Biden administration had hoped that the Safe Mobility Initiative would provide legal alternatives to the dangerous journey to the U.S. border. By offering migrants the opportunity to apply for legal entry from within Latin America, the program aimed to reduce the number of people attempting to cross the border illegally.
Alongside the Safe Mobility Initiative, the Biden administration also sought to impose asylum restrictions to discourage dangerous border crossings. The closure of these offices marks a significant shift in U.S. immigration policy under the Trump administration, which has emphasized stricter border enforcement.
CBS News reached out to the State Department for comment but has not received a response at this time.
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