U.S. President Joe Biden and Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said in a joint statement Monday they have recently talked about how to manage the illegal migration dilemma effectively and efficiently at the U.S.-Mexico border.
The two leaders had a telephone conversation Sunday about “their continued commitment to strengthening bilateral and regional cooperation that will benefit” the people of both countries.
While the statement said the two presidents “discussed how to effectively manage hemispheric migration,” and “strengthen operational efficiency on our shared border,” it did not reveal what specific steps they are taking.
Biden and Lopez Obrador have “ordered their national security teams to work together to immediately implement concrete measures to significantly reduce irregular border crossings while protecting human rights,” according to the statement.
Illegal migrant crossings into the U.S. from Mexico remains a divisive issue in the United States and will undoubtedly be a main topic in the upcoming U.S. presidential election in November, in which Biden is facing the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, Donald Trump.
Illegal migrant crossings into the U.S. reached a record high of 250,000 in December. However, the migrant flow across the border has dropped significantly since Mexico has stepped up its enforcement efforts.
Lopez Obrador said Monday in Mexico that the crossings into the U.S. are also down because of social programs his government has initiated in the region.
The White House has been considering options for dealing with the flow of migrants entering the United States from Mexico, including executive actions barring certain migrants from entry, but it has not yet implemented any new moves.
