Harris, Canadian Deputy Prime Minister discuss migration from Central America: White House

Washington, Mar 26 (FN Bureau) US Vice President Kamala Harris has discussed cooperation on tackling such issues of mutual interest as migration from Central America with Canadian Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland during a phone conversation, the White House has announced. Earlier this week, US President Joe Biden appointed Harris to lead the efforts with Mexico and the countries of the so-called “Northern Triangle” in Central America — Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador — to stem the flow of migrants in the United States.

“Vice President Kamala Harris spoke today with Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland of Canada and affirmed her commitment to deepening the strong alliance between Canada and the United States. Vice President Harris and Deputy Prime Minister Freeland discussed partnering on issues of mutual interest in the Northern Triangle, including working together to address the root causes contributing to migration from Central America,” the White House said in a statement issued late on Thursday.

The officials also touched upon measures to provide support to women in the care economy, assist small businesses, including by promoting access to capital, and strengthen trade unions, the US administration added. Since Biden took office in January and reversed some of the hardline immigration policies imposed by his predecessor, Donald Trump, the number of migrants trying to illegally enter the country has increased. According to the US Customs and Border Protection Agency, nearly 78,000 migrants attempted to cross the southern border in January, marking a six-percent increase since last December. In February, US border agents reported a 28 percent increase from the previous month.