U.S. and Mexico discuss immigration in high-level meetings

MEXICO CITY — A U.S. delegation discussed immigration and regional development in a series of meetings Tuesday in Mexico at a time when rising numbers of migrants arriving at their shared border have raised concerns in both countries.

The administration of President Joe Biden is worried about the number of migrant families and, especially, unaccompanied children arriving at the U.s.-mexico border in recent months.

Former U.S. ambassador Roberta Jacobson, the White House’s lead adviser on the border, and Juan González, the National Security Council’s senior director for the Western Hemisphere, were accompanied by Ricardo Zúñiga, the newly named special envoy for the Northern Triangle.

In a meeting with Mexico Foreign Affairs Secretary Marcelo Ebrard, the two delegations discussed “humanitarian actions to spur, in the short term, an inclusive economic development in northern Central America,” according to a statement released by the Mexican government.

The so-called Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador have been the largest source of migrants arriving at the

U.S. southern border in recent years.

Confusion and misinformation over Biden’s approach to immigrants and asylum seekers has been a contributing factor. Many migrants sensing a change in attitude from former President Donald Trump’s policies set out during the first months of the year to try their luck.

Meanwhile, Mexico finds itself once again under pressure to slow the movement of migrants across its territory.

Last week, the government announced it was imposing new measures at its southern border that would permit only essential crossings due to pandemic concerns. At the same time, Mexico deployed more immigration agents to the south and said it would focus on intercepting unaccompanied children and families with children trying to reach the northern border.

In another meeting Tuesday, the U.S. delegation discussed aid efforts with representatives of Mexico’s international development agency and the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean.

In a final meeting with Mexico’s National Immigration Institute, the two sides talked about “the challenges of designing a migration model that protects human rights, as well as the necessity of implementing incentives to reach the shared objective of an orderly, safe and regular migration,” the statement said.

Part of the U.S. delegation was scheduled to hold meetings Wednesday in Guatemala.