A group of Democratic senators recently announced the reintroduction of legislation seeking to address the root causes of the Central American migrant crisis, outlining the coordinated regional response needed to manage violence and humanitarian concerns effectively.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Sens. Tom Carper (D-DE), Diane Feinstein (D-CA), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Mazie Hirono (D-HI) maintain the measure outlines the coordinated regional response needed to manage the violence and humanitarian crises in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras forcing many women, children, and families to flee to seek refuge in America.
“If President Trump wants to get serious about solving the irregular migration at our border, he needs to address the root causes of the problem, not merely the symptoms at our border,” Carper said. “I’ve always supported smart, effective border security measures, but no amount of border security spending will work without continued investments in programs that address the root causes of migration from Central America. My colleagues and I are introducing a bill that will support the region’s efforts to improve those conditions on the ground, and I hope the Trump administration will once again support this common sense approach.”
Legislation features include condition assistance to Northern Triangle governments to address the root causes of the violence and instability that are driving migration. It also includes a crackdown on smugglers, cartels, and traffickers exploiting children and families and minimization of border crossings by expanding refugee processing in the region as well as enhanced monitoring of unaccompanied children after they are processed at the border.