Trump administration officials are thinking about launching a Public Service Announcement-type campaign in some Central American countries in an attempt to cut down the number of people migrating through Mexico to the United States, according to two senior Homeland Security officials.
“I think we should,” acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Mark Morgan said during a roundtable discussion this week.
Another senior official within ICE confirmed the agency has had discussions with other Department of Homeland Security entities about a messaging tour in the Northern Triangle: El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras.
In addition to the tour, ICE may also use billboards and social media channels to share information about migrating to the U.S., though it’s not clear what specific language or messages it would try to get across.
“At this stage, I don’t know what this will look like,” Morgan said. “The goal is to stop them from making dangerous treks. … I think the use of social media is an important factor.”
ICE was involved in a messaging campaign in Northern Triangle countries in 2015 as part of the Obama administration’s response to upticks in the number of unaccompanied children being smuggled through Mexico and into the U.S.
The agency is in talks with embassies in affected countries about what a new campaign would look like.
Last month, more than 90,000 migrants illegally crossed into the U.S. from Mexico. The large majority were from the three Central American nations in the Northern Triangle and have told Customs and Border Protection they were fleeing violence, lack of work, and inadequate resources in their home countries.
The Trump administration has said migrants hoping to be granted asylum in the U.S. should seek help by going to ports of entry. However, because of “metering” or limitations on the number of people being accepted at ports daily, many have opted to illegally enter the country then claim a credible fear of return.
