US has made investments in Central America, but needs to crack down on corruption and rethink border enforcement, groups say

EL PASO, TX (Border report) – Days after being sworn in, President Biden released an executive order to address the root causes of migration from Central America to the United States.

The order called for more economic aid and strengthening the rule of law to create conditions for citizens of Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador to stay in their homes rather than attempt unauthorized crossings to the United States.

A year later, faith leaders are urging Biden to follow through on the initiative and are giving him mixed marks on actions taken so far.

This week’s report of the Root Causes Initiative, a partnership of grassroots and faith-based organizations from the Northern Triangle, Mexico and the United States, comes as migration to the United States remains at an all-time high and the administration takes the heat from the advocates clinging to Trump-era border enforcement policies.

“We need the bold visionary leadership of the administration and the political will to bring about change in 2022,” said Marisa Limon Garza, deputy director of the Hope Border Institute, one of the partners.

She said Biden has made “good efforts” to reverse policies that put migrants at risk, such as “Stay in Mexico.” But that resolution stalled in the face of political pressure and legal challenges from governors like Greg Abbott of Texas.

There is also internal dissent in federal law enforcement, as reported verbal clashes between US Border Patrol agents and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas took place during his visits to Yuma, Arizona, and Laredo, Texas last week.

Grassroots groups acknowledged increased US aid to local Central American organizations and the placement of 49 current and former foreign officials on a corruption watch list. But they call for more investment and note that human rights abuses continue and governments fire judges and prosecutors who take a stand against corruption.

“The rule of law has deteriorated significantly in the region in 2021. The leaders of Guatemala and El Salvador have decided to take over the justice systems, protect corruption and violate human rights” , says the report.

The groups are calling on Biden to apply sanctions to government officials and businesspeople behind human rights abuses and corruption, and to meet with Indigenous leaders and environmental activists who are trying to prevent the mining and other industries to displace rural and tribal residents.

They’re also calling on the administration to end “Stay in Mexico,” end the Title 42 public health order that allows summary deportation of newly arrived migrants, and reopen U.S. ports of entry to asylum seekers.

Other recommendations include granting 50,000 non-farm work visas a year to Central Americans, creating a Central American family reunification program, and allocating 20,000 places for climate change refugees in the region.

“The climate crisis is displacing people who couldn’t find work or food. Multinationals have extractive practices that also displace people and change the climate,” Limon said. “Many of the challenges that people face in Central America are the result of corporate capitalists pushing people out of their communities” and setting them on a path north.