US Migration Offices to Open in Colombia

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Facts

• Colombia's foreign ministry announced on Thursday that two offices for migrants hoping to reach the US would open in the country as part of a 'Safe Mobility' initiative between the US and Latin American countries designed to curb dangerous migrant passages to the US.¹
• Along with a third office in the city of Medellín that opened Aug. 1, the offices are part of a six-month 'exploratory phase.'  In June, the US announced migrant processing centers would be opened in Guatemala.²
• The Safe Mobility plan was formed in April between the US, Panama, and Colombia and was designed to stop migration through the dangerous Darién Gap between Colombia and Panama, which has seen a record number of crossings this year.³
• Migrants from Venezuela, Cuba, and Haiti who legally arrived in Colombia before June 11 can apply for potential entry into the US, the foreign ministry says, adding they will not intervene in any migration decisions made by the US.⁴
• The moves are part of a larger push by the US to try and curb illegal migration, with July seeing a 30% jump in apprehensions at the border. A new policy requires asylum seekers to apply in countries they travel through first before being able to apply for asylum in the US.²

Sources: ¹Reuters, ²Al Jazeera, ³US News & World Report and ⁴BNN Breaking.

Narratives

• Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by National Immigration Forum. The Safe Mobility offices are going to be a vital tool in stopping dangerous migration to the southern border. By allowing migrants to apply for asylum in the countries they are already present in, it could curtail loss of life and hamper human trafficking operations that smuggle migrants to the US. Other Latin American countries are interested in the plan, as it could help lessen the migration crisis gripping the continent.
• Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by Newsweek. While this initiative sounds good in principle, the reality on the ground is that requirements for the Safe Mobility program are so stringent that the average migrant cannot even think of applying for asylum in the US. Those without financial means, a sponsor in the US, or the appropriate documentation are shut out of the program, excluding those who need the most help. This program is window dressing to mask America's continuing disregard for migrants.