Guatemala signs “safe third country” asylum deal after Trump threats
Acting U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kevin McAleenan and Interior Minister of Guatemala Enrique Degenhart sign "safe third country" agreement in Oval Office. Photo: Alex Wong / Staff/Getty Images
Guatemala signed a “safe third country“ agreement with the Trump administration on Friday, Reuters reports.
Why it matters: Through the deal, Guatemala is agreeing to take in more Central American asylum seekers — an effort to slow migration to the U.S.
Last week, Guatemala‘s Constitutional Court ruled the nation could not sign the agreement without approval from the Guatemalan Congress. Trump responded with a tweet, threatening a migrant ban, tariffs, remittance fees or “all of the above.”
- Trump told reporters on Friday that the deal would give U.S. farms easier access to workers.
Go deeper: Guatemala unveils measures to crack down on migrants traveling to U.S.