The US is looking to expand its safe migration plan

The US government is trying to expand the “Safe Mobility” program to more Latin American countries, already active in Colombia, Costa Rica and Guatemalaand whose goal is to offer legal pathways to migrants and refugees who yearn to reach the United States.

This was revealed to EFE in an interview by Katie Tobin, senior advisor for migration at the White House, who sat next to US President Joe Biden last Tuesday at the meeting he held in the Oval Office with his Costa Rican counterpart Rodrigo Chaves. .

The so-called offices of “Safe mobility” they can be a “model” for other countries, he believes, and the US intends to expand this program to the entire continent.

“We hope that other countries will step up and also agree to host these safe mobility offices or accept cases from them. We really need all countries to play a role in that,” the Biden adviser said.

Tobin did not reveal in which countries the next “Safe Mobility” offices could be opened, but assured that they do exist “ongoing” conversations with other partners which are being developed in the framework of the Declaration from Los Angeles by which 21 countries committed to improving migration management in the region.

Biden’s priority, he explained, is to expand pathways for migrants and refugees to come to the United States legally and not have to make the perilous journey north alone.

Since the offices began operating in June in Colombia, Costa Rica and Guatemala, more than 38,000 people have submitted their requests through the website mobilidadsegura.org, a State Department spokesman told EFE.

However, from August 28 of those Out of 38,000 individuals, only 2,100 managed to initiate proceedings request asylum in the USA, or 5.5% of all applicants.

In addition to the US, migrants and refugees have the option of going to Spain and Canada, which have pledged to accept some asylum seekers.

The “Safe Mobility” program seeks to help migrants and refugees who have been increasingly arriving in the US in recent months, and who are most often from Venezuela, Cuba or Haiti.

In particular, the office in Colombia allows applications from Cubans, Haitians and Venezuelans, while Costa Rica takes care of Venezuelans and Nicaraguans, and Guatemala pays attention to its own citizens who have fled to the US for years due to violence and lack of security. opportunities in your country.

Offices in Colombia, Costa Rica and Guatemala operate within the framework six-month pilot programwhich is in a trial period and could become permanent.

Tobin did not indicate whether the US plans to extend the program, and limited himself to the fact that the executive branch is currently evaluating its operation together with the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM). , who collaborate on its implementation.

“We test it, see how it works. We solve all problems and cooperate not only with governments, but also with humanitarian actors. So we want to see how the pilot program works. We hope it will be a success and then we will be able to expand it,” he said.

In addition to the Safe Mobility office, the Biden administration has taken other measures to promote legal migration and prevent thousands of people from crossing the Mexican border on foot in search of asylum or better economic opportunities, putting a huge strain on the resources of some border communities.

One of the programs allows citizens of Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela apply for a humanitarian permit to enter the United States, but only those who arrive by plane in the US territory and have a contact who can prove that this will help them adjust to the country.

In addition, the executive branch has developed a mobile app called “CBP One,” which allows those in Mexico to make appointments with U.S. authorities to present their asylum cases. That app only offers 1,250 appointments per day, which means that vacancies fill up quickly.