U.S. Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL) is urging the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to bolster Guatemalan government resources to address the anticipated migrant surge ahead of Title 42’s expiration.
Salazar has forwarded correspondence to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas regarding the matter, noting Title 42 expires on May 11.
“The Guatemalans have been pleading with the Biden Administration to help them stem the flow of illegal immigration through Guatemala, only to be treated with contempt in return,” Salazar, Western Hemisphere Subcommittee chairwoman, wrote. “The United States cannot afford inaction on the southern Border any longer. President Biden – it is time to end this crisis NOW!”
Salazar said the Guatemalan government is at a breaking point after bearing waves of migrants rushing through the country to the U.S. southern border. Some Central American nations profit from the migration flows by charging migrants a transit fee but doing nothing to impede their passage.
Per Salazar, the Guatemalan government’s capacity to effectively process and send unauthorized immigrants back to their countries of origin is thinning and presents potentially catastrophic consequences for the United States and the nation’s border security in consideration of Guatemala’s strategic importance as a critical choke point on the migrant journey north.
Salazar said the United States must immediately supply Guatemala with equipment and resources to manage the anticipated migrant surge.