Kamala Harris Unveils $4.2B in Central America Investments
On Monday, US Vice President Kamala Harris unveiled $950M in new private sector commitments in the Central American countries of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras — building on her plan to reduce mass migration to the US by creating economic opportunities in the home countries of many migrants
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Facts
- On Monday, US Vice President Kamala Harris unveiled $950M in new private sector commitments in the Central American countries of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras — building on her plan to reduce mass migration to the US by creating economic opportunities in the home countries of many migrants.
- In March 2021, Pres. Biden tasked Harris with leading efforts to curb migration which surged dramatically after he took office. Harris then focused her attention on El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, known as the 'Northern Triangle.'
- Harris spoke on Monday at the 'Central America Forward Launch Event' in which she highlighted her plan. She also pledged to 'promote good governance, reduce violence, and empower women' to address the root causes of migration.
- Harris announced that the total value of private sector commitments in the region is over $4.2B, up from $3.2B announced in June 2022. A total of 47 companies and organizations contributed to the amount.
- Retailers Target and Columbia Sportswear are two notable companies investing in the region, with Target committing to increase its spending in the Northern Triangle by $300M this year while Columbia says it will purchase $200M in products from the region.
- Harris believes creating economic opportunities will incentivize residents of the region to stay in their own respective countries instead of migrating to the US. It is still unclear how much Harris’ efforts to date have reduced migration as it remains at historic highs.
Sources: Ny1, Reuters, The White House, Reuters, and CNN.
Narratives
- Democratic narrative, as provided by The White House. The Vice President's Central America Forward plan has been a great success and is humanely addressing the root cause of migration. The Biden White House is committed to a comprehensive strategy that will create sustainable and ethical solutions to mass migration. In just two years, the administration has made great strides.
- Republican narrative, as provided by Fox News. Harris has resorted to political stunts to hide from the fact that she and Biden have utterly failed to address the US border crisis. The US government cannot control what happens in other nations and should focus on efforts at home to secure America’s border and keep its people safe. Long-term plans sound nice, but they do nothing to stop tens of thousands of migrants from flooding into America every day.
