USA, El Salvador when ‘hitherto unseen’ agreement to limit illegal immigration

State Department –

The United States and El Salvador have reached what US State Secretary Marco Rubio called “the most unprecedented and extraordinary” agreement to further restrict illegal immigration.

After about three hours of meetings with Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele at his residence in Lake Coatepeque, San Salvador, Rubio said Bukele has offered to house dangerous US criminals in Salvadoran prisons, including US citizens and legal residents.

Bukele has also “agree to accept for deporting illegal foreigners in the United States”, which are criminals, regardless of nationality, in addition to fully cooperating on the return of Salvadorans who are illegally in the United States, Rubio told journalists.

Rubio visited El Salvador Monday to tackle illegal migration and other strategic problems.

The Ministry of State said Rubio also raised strategies to address the influence of the Chinese Communist Party in the Western Hemisphere to protect the sovereignty and interests of both nations and the region.

His visit comes in the midst of the restructuring of an American agency that oversees foreign aid, which has given rise to a showdown between congress Democrats and President Donald Trump’s administration.

Rubio announced that he is now the acting administrator of the US Agency for International Development, but has delegated his authority to another official. He emphasized that the agency must adapt US foreign aid with national interests and comply with state policy directives.

Late Monday, USA and El Salvador also Signed an appointment morandum or mou on civilian nuclear collaboration and expanded strategic connections between the two nations.

The Ministry of State said Mou marks an initial step towards building a robust civil nuclear partnership aimed at improving energy security and promoting financial cooperation.

Limitation of illegal immigration

BUKELLE is considered an important ally in the United States in its regional efforts to tackle the migration crisis.

On October 7, 2024, the US and El Salvador signed a Customs Authority for Mutual AssistanceFurther strengthening border security and facilitating trade between the two countries.

El Salvador was once the third largest source of nationals captured at the US southwest border. Today, it no longer ranks among the top 10.

Chinese influence

US President Trump has maintained warm relations with Salvadoran President Bukele, who also strengthened the tape with Chinese President Xi Jinping after his state visit to Beijing in December 2019.

During Bukele’s visit, China promised millions in development projects for the Central American country through a series of agreements. Among them was a football stadium, a national library, a tourist pier and financing for improvements in water treatment.

In April 2024, China and El Salvador began negotiations for a free trade agreement, although the United States remains El Salvador’s primary trading partner.

El Salvador formally recognized the People’s Republic of China on August 21, 2018 and separates diplomatic ties with Taiwan.

Panama

Earlier Monday, Rubio observed a US -funded deportation flight that gave from Albrook International Airport in Panama, returning dozens of undocumented Colombians back to their homeland. A total of 32 men and 11 women were repatriated, including seven people with criminal items.

The top US diplomat said it sent “a clear message” that people who were trying to enter the US border irregularly would be stopped and sent back to their countries of origin.

On July 1, 2024, the first day of Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino’s period, the United States and Panama signed an appointment morandum aimed at reducing the number of migrants illegally through Panama’s Darién region on the way to the United States.

The program is financed by the US Department of State and is implemented by the Department of Homeland Security. Monday’s deportation was carried out under Mou and after a waiver in the state department, which lifted a previous break on US foreign aid.

“This is an effective way to dampen the flow of illegal migration, of mass migration that is destabilizing and destabilizing,” Rubio told journalists at Albrook International Airport.

“This flight today was possible because of an exception that we have issued,” he added. “We will issue a broader collaboration to continue this collaboration.”

According to Mou in 2024, the United States have delivered nearly $ 2.7 million to finance flights and tickets to repatriate migrants to their countries of origin.

Since the first repatriation flight on August 20, 2024, over 40 charter flights have been carried out from Panama to more than 14 countries, returning more than 1,700 undocumented migrants. Destinations have included Colombia, Ecuador, India and Vietnam.

Panama recently reported a 90% decrease in migrants crossing the Darién region compared to the same period last year.

Channel controversy

On Sunday, Rubio warned Panama that Washington will “take the necessary measures” if Panama does not take immediate steps to end what US President Donald Trump described as China’s “influence and control” over the Panama Canal.

“Secretary Rubio made it clear that this status quo is unacceptable,” spokesman for the state department Tammy Bruce said in a statement after Rubio’s conversations with Mulino.

Mulino also announced that Panama has decided not to renew a 2017 memorandum with China on Peking’s belt and road initiative and will try to cancel agreements with the Chinese government before their official expiry dates.

“We’re studying the opportunity to end it early,” Mulino added on Sunday.

The Belt and Road Initiative or BRI is a massive infrastructure project launched by China in 2013 under President Xi Jinping, with the aim of connecting multiple continents through country and maritime routes. The United States has warned that BRI “is driven by China’s mission to manipulate and undermine the global rules -based trading system for its own advantage.”

At the United Nations, Chinese Ambassador FU CONG rejected the accusations against China as “completely false” and “meaningless.” He said China has never participated in the management or operation of the Panama Canal or interfered with its affairs. He also confirmed respect for Panama’s sovereignty and the channel’s status as a neutral international gateway.

The Chinese ambassador also called Panama’s decision not to renew the BRI agreement “regrettable.”

After visiting Panama and El Salvador, Rubio travels to Costa Rica on Tuesday, followed by stops in Guatemala and the Dominican Republic.

Margaret Besheer contributed to this report.