The US and Mexico released a joint statement on the ongoing migration crisis Thursday that was heavy on platitudes and support for asylum-seekers, but mentioned no enforcement action to stop a record-breaking wave of illegal immigration — and even teased the prospect of amnesty for those already here unlawfully.
Officials claimed a three-hour Mexico City meeting involving Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador was a success — but Thursday’s statement noted no agreed-upon steps to slow or stanch the deluge of migrants seeking asylum. “President López Obrador highlighted the commitment of President Biden to pursue regular, orderly, and secure migration. He stressed the need to continue the diplomatic and political engagement with all countries in the region, as well as investing in ambitious development programs throughout the entire hemisphere of the Americas,” the statement said. “Both delegations underlined the efforts that the Biden administration is pursuing through development assistance and humanitarian aid, as well as advancing new private investments in the region,” it added.