The United States is seeking help from Latin American countries to stop the flow of migrants from terror-linked countries into the United States. A recent report from Reuters shows that 6,342 migrants from countries considered to be terrorism-linked were apprehended trying to enter Mexico to make their way to the United States in only the first six months of 2016. Most of the countries considered to be terror linked are found in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. These migrants will typically fly into various Central American country’s before entering Mexico and ultimately the United States.
The U.S. is working with Guatemala at the Mexican border to apprehend these migrants before they ever have a chance to enter the U.S.
The number of immigrants apprehended trying to enter Mexico from Central America has more than tripled since 2014.
Concerns about potential security risks from ISIS members attempting to use these same migrant routes to enter the country and eventually pull off large-scale terrorist attacks has spurred the U.S. into action. A U.S. Customs and Border Protection official commented on the importance of apprehending these migrants before they reach Mexico:
“The reality is that the vast majority of the people that Mexico encounters that are extra-continental will eventually end up on our border,”
ISIS members have well-established human trafficking lanes set up in the country for the sole purpose of allowing illegals to enter the country. Central American authorities recently dismantled one popular route but believe there are several others. ISIS also uses the routes to generate revenue for their organization; charging $7,00-$25,000 to smuggle illegals into the U.S. Dismantling these routes will not only prevent ISIS agents from entering the U.S. but will also cripple a revenue source for the terrorist organization.
Adam Isacson, a top officials at the The Washington Office on Latin America, has stated that Mexican authorities have been “quietly open” to receiving equipment and training on how to prevent immigrants from entering their southern border.
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