The number of Salvadorans\nentering the United States illegally is rapidly declining thanks to a series of\ninitiatives orchestrated by newly-elected Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a recent sit-down interview<\/a> with CBS\u2019s 60 Minutes, Burkele confirmed that he and his administration are working hard to improve the country\u2019s poor economic conditions, extinguish gang violence, and increase regional cooperation in order to reduce the number of Salvadorans migrating to the United States. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe reality is that our\nwhole economy is in\u2014is in shatters. Nothing works,\u201d Bukele said. \u201c[Gangs] have\na de facto power, a real one\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Despite being the smallest<\/a> country in Central America and smaller than Massachusetts, El Salvador has remained one of the largest<\/a> sources of illegal immigration to the United States. In fiscal year 2019, roughly 90,000 Salvadorans were apprehended at the southern border, with the vast majority seeking asylum (even though experiencing gang violence and poor economic conditions generally does not qualify for protection in the United States.) <\/p>\n\n\n\n Understanding that El\nSalvador must improve its domestic conditions in order to retain its\npopulation, Bukele mentioned that he has launched a new security plan called \u201cThe\nTerritorial Control Plan\u201d under which he has deployed 8,500 troops across the\ncountry to take gangs head-on. The plan involves authorities examining young\nmen for gang tattoos and contraband, while publicly shaming arrested\nindividuals, according to eyewitness testimony from 60 Minutes journalist\nSharyn Alfonsi. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Adding that he won\u2019t negotiate with gangs because it \u201cgives them legitimacy,\u201d Bukele\u2019s focus on popular groups such as MS-13 or the 18th<\/sup> Street gang intends to create safer communities, incentivize Salvadorans to remain in their country, and encourage financial investment into El Salvador. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cTrying to\nattract\u2014investment, private investment, international investment, tourism, et\ncetera, everything will be stopped by if\u2014if the perception is that El Salvador\nis a place that you will go and you will get killed,\u201d Bukele pointed out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Bukele\u2019s security plan is not the only measure aiming to reduce migration to the United States. In September<\/a>, El Salvador signed onto an asylum agreement with the United States where it agreed to accept asylum seekers who transited through its country before arriving at the U.S. border. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In his interview, Bukele told\nAlfonsi that while El Salvador is currently not prepared to absorb a large\nvolume of asylum seekers, he will work to expand that capacity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The agreement is expected\nto deter economic migrants from selecting the United States as their final\ndestination due to higher wages. Migrants are expected to seek refuge in the\nfirst \u201csafe\u201d (free from government persecution) country they arrive in and not\nbypass countries because of poorer economic conditions. Ultimately, this\nagreement restores integrity in the asylum process. <\/p>\n\n\n\n El Salvador\u2019s security\nplan combined with the new asylum agreement have already contributed to a\ndecline of illegal alien apprehensions at the border.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Apprehensions along the southern border have decreased<\/a> from May\u2019s peak of just over 144,000 in May to about 43,000 in November. Salvadoran apprehensions also fell<\/a> from 12,000 in June to roughly 2,500 in October.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Though much work remains to be done, new initiatives under El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele are positive signs and are likely helping the U.S. regain control of its southern border. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The number of Salvadorans entering the United States illegally is rapidly declining thanks to a series of initiatives orchestrated by newly-elected Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele. In a recent sit-down interview with CBS\u2019s 60 Minutes, Burkele confirmed that he and his administration are working hard to improve the country\u2019s poor economic conditions, extinguish gang violence, and<\/p>\n