Pompeo visits Mexico, urged to reunite migrant families
MEXICO CITY >> Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto on Friday urged a U.S. delegation led by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to quickly reunite migrant families separated at the border.
Pena Nieto said in a statement he called for “a permanent alternative that prioritizes the well-being and rights of minors.”
Pompeo visited Mexico with Cabinet-level officials to meet with both Pena Nieto and president-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador after a sea-change election that could offer a chance for the neighbors to repair strained relations.
Discussions were expected to address ways to combat transnational criminal organizations, the U.S. opioid epidemic and trade tensions. But irregular migration across Mexico’s northern border into the United States loomed large during the meetings.
“The United States is committed to making measurable progress to ensure security on both sides of that border,” Pompeo told journalists.
U.S.-Mexico ties have deteriorated significantly under President Donald Trump, who campaigned on building a border wall
and has repeatedly blamed Mexico for economic and social problems in the United States.
Dozens of protesters jeered at Pompeo’s motorcade as the delegation arrived to congratulate the populist Lopez Obrador.
Many of the protesters condemned the Trump administration’s “zero tolerance” immigration policy that separated families attempting to claim asylum in the United States.
“Where are our children?” read one sign. Others read, “Stop Trump” and “ICE is a terrorist” — referring to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
agency.
Pompeo acknowledged strains in U.S.-Mexico relations when he greeted Lopez Obrador, but pledged the Trump administration values the bilateral ties.
“We know there have been bumps in the road between our two countries, but President Trump is determined to make the relationship between our peoples better and stronger,” Pompeo said. “We wanted to come down here to let you know that President Trump cares deeply for the success of the relationship between our two countries. Our presence here today signals that to you.”