Helping our Neighbors, Securing our Borders

In January, I traveled to Guatemala and El Salvador to see regional efforts to address the poverty, violence, and lack of hope driving migration from these Northern Triangle countries to the United States.

Guatemala — Thursday, January 14th

On Thursday, I flew to Guatemala to witness Guatemalans’ effort to bring about change in their country –the inauguration of a new president, Jimmy Morales. I attended as part of the official delegation with Vice President Biden, Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson, Congresswoman Norma Torres of California, State Department Counselor Thomas Shannon, National Security Council Senior Director Mark Feierstein and U.S. Ambassador to Guatemala Todd Robinson.

Before the inauguration ceremony, I joined the Vice President in a meeting with the leaders of the Northern Triangle countries, President-Elect Morales, President Salvador Sanchez Ceren of El Salvador, and President Juan Orlando Hernandez of Honduras.

In that meeting, I expressed to these leaders that there is a moment of opportunity for their governments to make their nations a better place to live, work, and raise a family.

We also heard from them on their progress in upholding their commitments to the “Plan of the Alliance for Prosperity in the Northern Triangle” and their work to promote economic opportunity, reestablish rule of law, tackle violence, and inspire hope in the Northern Triangle.

This plan was launched in 2014 by the presidents of Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala with the support of Vice President Joe Biden. The Alliance for Prosperity focuses government efforts in four key areas: fostering economic growth; investing in education and workforce development; promoting the rule of law by tackling corruption; and rebuilding citizens’ trust in the government by increasing transparency.

The leaders of the Northern Triangle have all committed to the Alliance for Prosperity and understand that they have a tough job ahead of them. But with leadership, courage and hard work, and help from their neighbors, the Northern Triangle can forge a better, safer, more hopeful future.

They can do it. And the United States and others stand ready to help.

As part of that effort, Congress recently appropriated $750 million in Fiscal Year 2016 to support initiatives in the Northern Triangle to increase economic prosperity, rule of law and citizen security. We will provide technical assistance and other support to develop the police force and justice system, community-level violence prevention programs, job and life-skills programs for at-risk youth, services at domestic violence assistance centers, and literacy and vocational education programs.

This investment underscores our nation’s own commitment to helping these nations address the root causes of poverty, violence, and hopelessness driving so many people north. But again, change can only happen as part of a team effort. Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, their neighbors in the region, the United States, and the international community must all commit to realizing the goal of moving these nations forward.

El Salvador — Friday, January 15th

On Friday, Rep. Torres joined me as I traveled to El Salvador to see some of the programs U.S. investments are helping to fund and meet with officials to hear more about their efforts to tackle the record violence plaguing the nation.

Early in the day, we met with the President of El Salvador, Salvador Sanchez Ceren to hear about his plans to decrease violence and create economic opportunity. President Ceren informed me about his nation’s programs to improve the security situation on the ground and I told him that El Salvador can do it, and the U.S. and others stand ready to help.

We also visited a repatriation facility that works to help those returning from Mexico get back on their feet. While touring the facility, I couldn’t help but think about the words Pope Francis spoke when he addressed a joint session of Congress last year, calling on all of us to treat migrants the way we would want to be treated on every step of their journey.

I was reminded of the people on the other end of our record immigration statistics — including tens of thousands of unaccompanied children — and the lack of hope that has led so many parents to do the unthinkable — to put their children in the hands of smugglers to undertake a dangerous journey north, sometimes traveling 1,500-miles to the United States.

Later in the day, we traveled to ¡Supérate! a USAID-sponsored education and development center that offers English language, computer, and leadership training for youth in El Salvador.

It was great to see this program helping students reach their potential. Being able to smile and laugh with them — while I practice my Spanish and they their English — gives me hope that our efforts to make these nations a better place to live and raise a family are worthwhile and making a difference.

To read more about my efforts to address the root causes driving Central American migration to our southern border, read my recent report, “Stronger Neighbors — Stronger Borders: Addressing the Root Causes of the Migration Surge from Central America,” where I outline the conditions the Northern Triangle nations face, and our role as their neighbor to help.