With the arrival of Donald Trump’s administration, the United States is carrying out mass deportation campaigns of migrants. The Republican president promised to act against irregular immigration during his campaign, declared a state of national emergency on the border with Mexico, and signed several decrees.
“Deportation flights have begun. President Trump is sending a strong and clear message to the entire world: if you illegally enter the United States of America, you will face severe consequences,” said Karoline Leavitt, White House Press Secretary, through X.
Trump also ended a program of his predecessor, Joe Biden, aimed at providing legal pathways for asylum claims for people who fled violence and reported political persecution. He also suspended, until further notice, all arrivals of refugees seeking asylum in the United States.
The impact of these decisions will greatly affect most Latin American countries. In the case of Central America, and particularly Costa Rica, Donald Trump’s administration will close the processing centers that the previous U.S. government established to expand access to legal migration channels. The ones in Colombia, Ecuador, and Guatemala will also be closed.
The closure of the Safe Mobility Offices (SMOs) is part of a broader effort to evaluate how the United States manages immigration processes to serve national interests, according to internal State Department documents. The Safe Mobility Initiative, launched in June 2023, was part of the Biden administration’s efforts to promote safe, orderly, and humane migration management.
The SMOs’ official website confirmed that this initiative is no longer running, and no applications will be accepted. “Following a decision by the U.S. government, the Safe Mobility Initiative is no longer active. If your case was already referred to the United States for resettlement under the Safe Mobility Initiative, more information will follow shortly. You do not need to take any action at this time,” the webpage showed.
Both Costa Rica and other Latin American countries are waiting to receive Marco Rubio, Secretary of State, to address essential issues such as migration.
