U.S. border numbers continue to decline and are down 40% since December 2023. Put Mexico down for an assist, as it has intercepted triple the number of migrants since last year. Regional problems – like the current refugee crisis in the Western Hemisphere – require regional solutions. Mexico’s help managing migration is necessary; it’s a crucial component of a well-managed U.S.-Mexico border even though we know Mexico sometimes fails to protect the migrants in its custody, with deadly consequences. Border policy must always respect human dignity and carefully balance security with migrant safety.
It cannot be the only solution we utilize, however. The U.S. continues to need legal immigration reform so willing foreign workers have a safe pathway to the U.S. that doesn’t involve our asylum system.
Migration cooperation is overall good and can provide the flexibility needed for governments to appropriately (and hopefully, humanely) manage changing migration patterns. Ensuring that migrants diverted from their ultimate destination have a safe place to resettle or relocate is key to success here. Other countries will need to be willing to receive and integrate newcomers.
A regional approach like this will require strong U.S. leadership and coordination. We’ve seen glimmers of possibility with the Los Angeles Declaration. But the United States must do much more to make this a successful, long term approach to managing migration.
