Trump's Latin America policy will most likely focus on controlling migration, former ambassador says

Trump adviser Carlos Trujillo said that the incoming administration will likely have to expand its focus beyond Mexico and the Northern Triangle to stem migration.

President-elect Donald Trump used different strategies to tackle the flow of migration to the U.S. during his first term, and that will increase in his second, according to an adviser to the incoming president and former administration official.

“There will be a lot of emphasis on controlling the border and working with Central American and South American countries to do so,” Carlos Trujillo, who was ambassador to the Organization of American States in the first Trump term, said in an interview.

Border crossings hit record numbers in the first three years of the Biden administration after pandemic-era restrictions were lifted. Over the summer, the administration put in place strict asylum restrictions that led to an over 50% drop in the daily number of people encountered by Border Patrol, to the lowest level since 2020.

When it comes to migration, “you have to negotiate with many, many countries. It’s not just one or two,” said Trujillo. “Before, we would focus on the Northern Triangle as well as Mexico. I think now the migratory flows are just so overwhelming that there are a lot more players in the human trafficking business.”

He said the administration will likely review many different options to achieve their goals.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/trump-latin-america-policy-immigration-trujillo-rcna179908

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