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illegal immigration

New Central American President Following Through On Pledge To Cut Illegal Migration To US

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From the Daily Caller News Foundation

By JASON HOPKINS

 

The Panamanian government is touting progress on efforts to reduce illegal migration through the Darien Gap, a dense jungle region that has long served as a gateway point for South American migrants making their way to the United States.

The National Border Service, Panama’s version of the U.S. Border Patrol, reported that 11,363 migrants had crossed into the country from Colombia since July 1, when President Jose Raul Mulino first entered office, according to The Associated Press. That number marks roughly 9,000 fewer crossings compared to the same time period last year.

Jorge Gobea, the National Border Service’s director general, credited the downturn in migration numbers to the construction of around three miles of barbed wire on five different trails frequently used by migrants passing through the Darien Gap, according to the AP. Gobea also pointed to the Panama government’s declaration of upcoming deportation plans and heavy rains as the reasons for the drop off in migration numbers.

The early data comes as good news for Mulino, who was elected earlier this year on a pledge to reduce illegal immigration through his country and immediately set out on a plan

Mulino won Panama’s presidential election, beating his closest rival by nearly ten percentage points, riding a wave of voter discontent over the nation’s sluggish economic growth and an endorsement from the still-popular former president. The 65-year-old lawyer also campaigned on a pledge to crack down on the illegal immigration that runs through the Darien Gap.

The Darien Gap — a vast jungle region that stretches between Colombia and southern Panama — has proven to be a paramount transit area for illegal migrants headed for the U.S.-Mexico border. Over half a million migrants crossed the Darien Gap on their northward journey to the U.S. in 2023, according to the Council on Foreign Relations.

Over 212,000 migrants entered Panama after crossing through the Darien Gap so far this year, according to the AP. The vast majority of them have been Venezuelan nationals, while others include Colombians, Ecuadorians and Chinese, among other foreign nationals.

“The border of the United States, instead of being in Texas, moved to Panama,” the then-candidate said on the campaign trail. “We’re going to close the Darien and we’re going to repatriate all these people.”

Mulino’s position on illegal immigration marks a major shift from the previous administration, which largely sought to assist migrants journey to the Costa Rican border, in lieu of blocking them and returning them to their home country.

On July 1, the day Mulino was sworn into office, his government signed a deal with the Biden administration aiming to control the level of migration.

The Memorandum of Understanding between the two governments calls for a deployment of American screening officers to assist Panama officials to deport migrants crossing the Darien Gap, according to the plan. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials with asylum screening experience will be deployed to Panama to help their government process migrants, and the U.S. will provide funds to beef up the country’s deportation capabilities.

While the migration through the Darien Gap still remains close to what was witnessed last year, U.S. officials have yet to fully implement their bilateral agreement, leaving room for more progress moving forward.

Efforts to control the migration routes running through the Darien Gap would have a major impact on U.S. immigration enforcement officials, who continue to deal with the ongoing border crisis. More than 7 million migrants have crossed the U.S.-Mexico border illegally since President Joe Biden entered office, according to the latest data from Customs and Border Protection.

illegal immigration

Court attempts to halt Trump deportations, El Salvador president says ‘too late’

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From The Center Square

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A class action lawsuit was filed on Saturday against the Trump administration after President Donald Trump signed an executive order invoking the Enemy Aliens Act to target, arrest and remove violent Venezuelan prison gang members, Tren de Aragua (TdA), from the U.S.

The lawsuit was filed by the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation on behalf of five Venezuelans illegally in the country who were detained in Texas and New York. The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

On Saturday, nearly 300 violent illegal foreign nationals were removed from the U.S. and arrived in El Salvador with the cooperation of El Salvadoran president Nayib Bukele after reaching an agreement with Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

“The first 238 members of the Venezuelan criminal organization, Tren de Aragua, arrived in our country,” Bukele said in a post on X. “They were immediately transferred to CECOT, the Terrorism Confinement Center, for a period of one year (renewable).”

El Salvador also received 23 MS-13 gang members from the U.S. who were wanted by Salvadoran authorities, Bukele said. They include two ringleaders, one of whom “is a member of the criminal organization’s highest structure.” Those sent to El Salvador by the U.S. will help Bukele’s government “finalize intelligence gathering and go after the last remnants of MS-13, including its former and new members, money, weapons, drugs, hideouts, collaborators and sponsors.

“As always, we continue advancing in the fight against organized crime. But this time, we are also helping our allies, making our prison system self-sustainable, and obtaining vital intelligence to make our country an even safer place. All in a single action. May God bless El Salvador, and may God bless the United States,” he said.

The U.S. government is paying a small fee to detain them, Bukele said, and the prison is also making money because it requires inmates to work. These additional inmates, “combined with the production already being generated by more than 40,000 inmates engaged in various workshops and labor under the Zero Idleness program, will help make our prison system self-sustainable,” he said, noting that it costs $200 million a year to maintain.

In response, Rubio thanked Bukele saying, “El Salvador has agreed to hold the violent criminals “in their very good jails at a fair price that will also save our taxpayer dollars. President Nayib Bukele is not only the strongest security leader in our region, he’s also a great friend of the U.S.”

In an emergency hearing held on Saturday, a federal judge ruled that deportations of violent Venezuelans be temporarily halted and those who were illegally in the country and already removed be returned. The ACLU said the order blocked the administration “from deporting anyone under the Alien Enemies Act while the case proceeds. Flights carrying Venezuelan immigrants the DHS attempted to deport have been ordered to turn around and return to the U.S.”

A U.S. federal judge has no jurisdiction over foreign governments.

In response, Bukele posted on X, “Oopsie … Too late,” with a laughing emoji.

Bukele also posted videos and pictures of them arriving in El Salvador in handcuffs. The video shows them being met by El Salvadoran military wearing riot gear and transported in armored vehicles to CECOT. The videos depict El Salvadoran officials lifting up their shirts to show tattoos of gang member affiliation, officials shaving the heads of kneeling inmates and their admittance as CECOT inmates.

Cooperation between the U.S. and El Salvador expanded under Trump and Rubio, representing a reversal of Biden administration policy that used taxpayer money and planes to transport illegal foreign nationals into the U.S.

Trump has been aggressively targeting of TdA after a record more than 1 million Venezuelans illegally entered the U.S. under the Biden administration, including TdA members expanding operations in at least 22 states, The Center Square first reported.

Under the Trump administration, Venezuelan repatriation flights also began, paid for by the Venezuelan government, negotiated by the Trump administration, The Center Square reported.

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illegal immigration

“The Invasion of our Country is OVER”: Trump reports lowest illegal crossings in history

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Quick Hit:

President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that illegal immigrant apprehensions at the southern border plummeted to just 8,326 in February—marking a historic low. In a Truth Social post, Trump declared, “The Invasion of our Country is OVER,” crediting his administration’s tough enforcement measures for the drastic reduction.

Key Details:

  • The figure represents a staggering 96% drop from December 2023, when illegal crossings under Joe Biden’s administration peaked at 301,981.

  • Trump emphasized that those caught illegally entering the U.S. were “quickly ejected from our Nation or, when necessary, prosecuted for crimes against the United States of America.”

  • Trump credited executive action, including an emergency border declaration, military deployments, the end of birthright citizenship, and a crackdown on sanctuary cities, for the sharp decline in illegal entries.

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Diving Deeper:

President Trump’s first full month back in office saw a seismic shift in border security policy, leading to what he called “the lowest number of illegal border crossings in decades.” In a Truth Social post on Saturday, Trump highlighted the stark contrast between his administration and Biden’s, stating:

“This means that very few people came – The Invasion of our Country is OVER. In comparison, under Joe Biden, there were 300,000 Illegals crossing in one month, and virtually ALL of them were released into our Country. Thanks to the Trump Administration Policies, the Border is CLOSED to all Illegal Immigrants.”

Upon taking office, Trump signed multiple executive orders that significantly curtailed illegal immigration. These include reinstating policies that allow expedited removals, deploying U.S. troops to the southern border, resuming construction of the border wall, and ending Biden-era programs that facilitated migrant entry through humanitarian parole. Additionally, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reversed previous Biden restrictions on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), leading to a sharp uptick in interior enforcement.

According to DHS data obtained by Fox News Digital, ICE interior arrests skyrocketed by 137% in just three weeks, with 11,791 arrests recorded from Jan. 20th to Feb. 8th—compared to 4,969 during the same period in 2024. High-profile raids in sanctuary cities have also yielded thousands of arrests, including gang members and violent offenders.

The economic impact of Trump’s border policies is already being felt. Federal funds that had been allocated to house illegal immigrants in hotels, particularly in cities like New York, are being clawed back. A recent executive order directed all federal agencies to identify and cut off taxpayer-funded programs that benefit illegal immigrants.

Despite congressional gridlock preventing any new border legislation, Trump’s administration has relied solely on executive authority to crack down on illegal immigration. His message to potential border crossers remains clear: “Anyone who tries to illegally enter the U.S.A. will face significant criminal penalties and immediate deportation.”

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