Blumenthal Statement On Meeting With Central American Ambassadors

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) today released the following statement after he and his colleagues met with the ambassadors of Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador to discuss conditions in their countries and resulting immigration to the United States:

“At today’s meeting with ambassadors of the key Central American countries that are plagued by vicious violence driving children to our borders, we urged that more effective action be taken to stop gang warfare and persecution by drug cartels and organized criminals. The root cause of the flood of child migrants to this country is lack of effective law enforcement, as well as horrific inhumane conditions, in Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador that can be addressed in part with assistance from the United States. We urged strong specific steps to stem and stop the rape, murder, forced prostitution and other atrocities, which these children are fleeing in their urgent search for safety here. These countries have an obligation to do better – as we urged them – with help from our country.

“I will continue to fight for such resources to aid these countries with more effective law enforcement, as well as to provide our country with better border security, more humane facilities and care for recently-arrived migrants, and justice and fairness to make asylum determinations child by child.”