U.S. and Panama Collaborate to Curb Migrant Crossings through
Darien Gap
The U.S. and Panama signed an agreement on Monday allowing
American officials to assist the Panamanian government in deporting migrants
crossing the Darién Gap, a challenging jungle passage increasingly used by
those traveling to the U.S. southern border.
Under this joint initiative, U.S. immigration officials will
train and support Panamanian authorities to enhance their deportation efforts
for northbound migrants. In recent years, Panama has seen record numbers of
crossings through the roadless Darién jungle, with over half a million reported
in 2023 alone.
The Department of Homeland Security will send experienced
officials to Panama to help screen asylum claims and deport migrants.
Additionally, U.S. State Department funds will be used to bolster Panama's
deportation infrastructure.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, who attended
the inauguration of Panama's President-elect José Raúl Mulino on Monday,
emphasized that this agreement is part of a broader regional strategy to manage
migration.
"As the United States continues to secure our borders
and remove individuals without a legal basis to remain, we are grateful for our
partnership with Panama to manage the historic levels of migration across the
Western Hemisphere," Mayorkas said.
Mulino has pledged to take a firm stance on migrant arrivals
in Panama, aiming to "close" the Darién Gap and accusing
international aid workers of facilitating illegal migration.
The arrangement between the U.S. and Panama was months in
the making, with CBS News first reporting on the Biden administration's plans
to send U.S. immigration officials to Panama in November.
This move is the latest effort by the Biden administration
to reduce illegal crossings at the U.S. southern border. Following President Biden's
executive action to partially shut down asylum processing, unlawful border
crossings fell to the lowest levels recorded during his administration last
month.
The agreement highlights the U.S.'s reliance on
international cooperation, under both Democratic and Republican
administrations, to mitigate migrant crossings along its southern border.
Recently, Mexican officials have intensified operations to prevent migrants
from reaching northern Mexico, and Ecuador imposed visa requirements for
Chinese migrants, who had been using the country as a route to the U.S. border.
