Washington – U.S. immigration reform will help strengthen security throughout the hemisphere, nine Latin American foreign ministers said here on Tuesday.
During a forum in the U.S. capital on immigration reform, the foreign ministers agreed on the need for a reform that establishes a guest-worker program and permits a “legal, ordered and secure” flow of immigrants while respecting their human rights.
At the forum, the foreign ministers of Mexico, Colombia, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Belize and Panama analyzed the impact emigration from their countries is having and what each nation is ready to do to stop the illegal exodus to the United States.
The officials acknowledged that, in the end, only Washington can decide the future of the roughly 12 million undocumented immigrants living in this country, but they said that without U.S. help it will be difficult to create economic development and stability in the region.
“Every nation has the right to have secure borders … but it’s also important to have respect for the basic rights of immigrants,” said Colombian Foreign Minister Carolina Barco, adding that “comprehensive immigration reform will help improve U.S. security.”
Salvadoran Foreign Minister Francisco Lainez said that any bill examined by the U.S. Congress has to keep in mind the needs of the U.S. labor market and need to facilitate family reunification.
Meanwhile, Mexican Foreign Minister Luis Ernesto Derbez reiterated the position of his government that seeking solutions for illegal migration and strengthening border security should be a “shared responsibility.” EFE
