Immigration reform is seen as a defining issue for Joe Biden’s presidency, yet the heart of the crisis lies not in the United States but in the worsening poverty, corruption and violence in Central Americ

Immigration reform is seen as a defining issue for Joe Biden’s presidency, yet the heart of the crisis lies not in the United States but in the worsening poverty, corruption and violence in Central Americ

The situation on the United States-Mexico border continues to vex the administration of President Joe Biden. In March alone, more than 18,000 unaccompanied children were detained at the border as more than 172,000 migrants were caught attempting to enter the US. Many children are being held in detention centres for longer than the legally allowed period of 72 hours.

The Biden administration is committed to addressing the root causes of the increasing numbers of migrants, but the measures that the United States, Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras have implemented so far seem unlikely to reverse the trend, at least in the short term. Vice President Kamala Harris, whom Biden has tasked with leading efforts to slow migration, plans to visit Mexico and Guatemala soon. The US is putting pressure on Mexico and Central American countries to increase enforcement to deter migration. According to the White House, Mexico has deployed about 10,000 troops, Guatemala has sent 1,500 police and military to its southern border, and Honduras has deployed 7,000 police and military. While these deterrence measures make it more difficult to head north, people continue to resort to hiring coyotes or people smugglers to evade checkpoints and deportation.

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