The Biden administration is considering referring some migrants in Latin America for resettlement in Greece and Italy as part of an effort to discourage people in the region from traveling to the U.S.-Mexico border. The initiative would involve Greece and Italy welcoming migrants processed at immigration offices set up in four Latin American countries to screen migrants hoping to reach the U.S. The plan is part of a broader strategy to reduce illegal crossings at the border by offering legal immigration opportunities while also implementing tougher enforcement measures.
These Safe Mobility Offices have allowed for a six-fold increase in the number of refugees resettled from the Western Hemisphere. The U.S. is in diplomatic discussions with other countries about joining the initiative to expand lawful pathways for resettlement. U.S. officials have met with diplomats from Canada, Italy, Spain, and the countries hosting the Safe Mobility Offices to discuss the plan. Greece and Italy have aging populations and labor shortages, creating an incentive for them to resettle foreign workers, making them potential destinations for migrants.
The migration crises faced by Italy and Greece have upended their politics and underscored the deadly nature of journeys in the Mediterranean Sea. These countries have been transit points for migrants hoping to settle elsewhere in Europe. The Safe Mobility Offices, established in 2023, are regional hubs for the U.S. to determine if migrants qualify for different options to enter the U.S. legally, including refugee resettlement, family visa programs, work visas, or humanitarian parole.
The U.S. has resettled around 10,000 migrants processed at the Safe Mobility Offices through the Refugee Admissions Program. The offices in Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Guatemala accept applications from specific nationalities, such as Cuban, Haitian, Venezuelan, Nicaraguan, and Colombian migrants. The Biden administration has paired legal immigration opportunities with tougher enforcement measures, including a rule that presumes migrants are ineligible for asylum if they failed to seek protection in a third country.
The plans to divert some Latin American migrants to Greece and Italy highlight a trend by the U.S. and other Western countries to manage intensifying migration crises through international deals. The Biden administration is preparing to issue an executive action that would bar most asylum claims when illegal crossings soar. The initiative with Greece and Italy is part of a larger effort to curb illegal border crossings and provide legal pathways for migrants in Latin America.
