Today, the United States and Panama announced that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will launch a new U.S. Department of State-funded foreign assistance program to address irregular migration in the region. This program will help the Panamanian government remove foreign nationals who have no legal basis to remain in Panama. This assistance seeks to reduce unprecedented irregular migration through the Darien region, through which more than 520,000 migrants passed in 2023.
The new arrangement between the United States and Panama advances cooperation on migration management, including support for safe and effective Panamanian repatriation operations that include security checks. The Removal Flight Program is part of a broader regional approach to address irregular migration. Because of the unique mission set, DHS will support training and capacity building to strengthen and institutionalize safe, humane repatriation processes in Panama.
“Irregular migration is a regional challenge that requires a regional response,” said Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “While the United States continues to secure our borders and remove individuals residing without a legal basis, we are grateful for our partnership with Panama to manage historic levels of migration to the Western Hemisphere.”
Under the Los Angeles Declaration on Migration and Protection, the United States is working with 21 partners across the region to take coordinated action to promote stability, expand legal pathways and provide options for individuals to remain where they are, and humanely manage borders across the Americas.
“Irregular migration affects each of our countries and we have a responsibility across the Western Hemisphere to help address it. Through the Los Angeles Declaration, we have taken meaningful steps to expand legal migration pathways as alternatives to irregular migration, improve enforcement efforts, support host communities, and strengthen protections for members of vulnerable populations,” said Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken.
DHS continues to enforce U.S. immigration laws and imposes harsh consequences for those who have no lawful basis to remain in the United States, consistent with international obligations. On June 4, President Biden issued a proclamation to temporarily suspend the entry of certain noncitizens across the southern border. As a result, the Border Patrol’s 7-day encounter average has decreased by more than 40%, and DHS has conducted more than 120 international repatriation flights to more than 20 countries. The majority of all Southwest border encounters during the past three fiscal years resulted in expulsion, return, or removal.
The United States continues to urge migrants who want to come to the United States to take advantage of the lawful pathways and processes that have been made available and have been significantly expanded. People should not put their lives in the hands of ruthless smugglers and cross our border illegally only to be turned away.
united-states-signs-arrangement-with-panama-to-implement-removal-flight-program-united-states-department-of-state
