{"id":7733,"date":"2021-02-19T12:25:54","date_gmt":"2021-02-19T11:25:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/staging.maisoninteractive.com\/mixedmigrationcenter\/?p=7733"},"modified":"2021-02-19T12:31:59","modified_gmt":"2021-02-19T11:31:59","slug":"expectations-following-bidens-promises-what-effect-on-mixed-migration","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/staging.maisoninteractive.com\/mixedmigrationcenter\/articles\/expectations-following-bidens-promises-what-effect-on-mixed-migration\/","title":{"rendered":"Expectations following Biden\u2019s promises: what effect on mixed migration? (en, sp)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong><span style=\"color: #009999;\"><em>Scroll down to read the article in Spanish | D<\/em><em><span lang=\"es\">espl\u00e1cese hacia abajo para leer el art\u00edculo en espa\u00f1ol<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>During the presidential campaign, Joe Biden\u2019s platform on immigration stood in stark contrast with the previous United States (US) administration\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.migrationpolicy.org\/research\/us-immigration-system-changes-trump-presidency\">far-reaching restrictive policies<\/a>, largely aimed at curbing immigration and preventing people on the move from reaching US soil. Similarly, Biden\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/2021\/02\/05\/understanding-bidens-first-foreign-policy-speech\/\">foreign policy agenda<\/a> presented a strong departure from the previous administration\u2019s \u201cAmerica First\u201d isolationist stance based on the projection of unilateral hard power. What is the likely impact of this new approach for mixed migration movements in the American continent?<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #009999;\"><strong>Pledges for a new approach<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>President Biden promised an <a href=\"https:\/\/joebiden.com\/immigration\/\">immigration policy<\/a> reflective of US democratic values \u2013 \u201c[\u2026] <a href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/briefing-room\/speeches-remarks\/2021\/02\/04\/remarks-by-president-biden-on-americas-place-in-the-world\/\">upholding universal rights, respecting the rule of law, and treating every person with dignity<\/a>,\u201d \u2013 including the creation of pathways for regularization and citizenship for undocumented migrants already living in the US. Additionally, the new administration promised to modernize the immigration system, to reaffirm US commitment towards protecting asylum seekers and refugees, to increase the US <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/politics\/2020\/12\/02\/biden-refugees-resettlement-trump\/\">refugee resettlement quota<\/a> from 15,000 per year \u2013 as established by the former administration for fiscal year 2021 \u2013 to 125,000, and to review border policies.<\/p>\n<p>The then\u2013presidential candidate also made promises in his campaign to particular groups, \u00a0such as to immediately grant Temporary Protection Status (TPS) \u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rev.com\/transcript-editor\/shared\/hx3CCJH0d2wJs3NlYf3pse7-Dpy1Pjr9bWXYXLqOKQWmqWoMCjUbnNiHQmXWM0gEZfBSt5ahqEU4oMidmoByfg0PsPc?loadFrom=PastedDeeplink&amp;ts=2359.53\">to Venezuelans<\/a>. In parallel, there has been some speculation surrounding a possible <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/article\/us-usa-immigration-biden\/exclusive-biden-team-weighs-deportation-relief-for-more-than-1-million-hondurans-guatemalans-idUSKBN28V2IN\">plan from the current administration<\/a> to grant TPS to more than 1 million Hondurans and Guatemalans who are already in the US (whether regularly or irregularly) shielding them from deportation, due to the impact of hurricanes ETA and IOTA in their countries of origin.<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #009999;\"><strong>Doing and undoing \u2026<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>To pursue this agenda, the Biden administration vowed to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/election-us-2020-53575474\">undo the previous administration<\/a>\u2019s policies on immigration during its first 100 days. And indeed, twenty-seven days into his term, President Biden adopted various executive orders and memorandums showing commitment to his campaign announcements.<\/p>\n<p>To begin with, the Migrant Protocols Program (MPP), forcing people seeking asylum in the US to stay in Mexican territory throughout their asylum process, was suspended and some asylum seekers have already been allowed to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bloomberg.com\/news\/articles\/2021-02-07\/border-agents-release-migrants-into-u-s-in-shift-from-trump\">wait in US territory<\/a> while a decision is made on their asylum claim. Starting February 19<sup>th<\/sup>, up to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/politics\/immigration\/biden-admin-begin-processing-asylum-seekers-who-were-forced-remain-n1257569\">25,000 asylum seekers enrolled in the MPP<\/a> \u2013 considered vulnerable and who have endured long waiting periods in Mexico \u2013 will be allowed into the US. Additionally, the Asylum Cooperative Agreements (ACA) with El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala \u2013 also known as \u201csafe third country\u201d agreements \u2013 were suspended. These announcements were <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2021\/01\/22\/959664319\/asylum-seekers-hope-bidens-pledge-to-welcome-immigrants-includes-them\">welcomed<\/a> by refugees and migrants in the region, especially those stranded at the US-Mexican border.<\/p>\n<p>President Biden also introduced an immigration bill to Congress \u2013 the US Citizenship Act of 2021\u2013 which expects to provide a path toward citizenship for 11 million undocumented migrants and allow Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients and TPS holders to apply for a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/article\/us-usa-biden-immigration-bill-factbox\/factbox-whats-in-bidens-immigration-bill-proposal-idUSKBN29P27G\">permanent resident<\/a> card. In addition to facilitating access to citizenship, the bill also contemplates <a href=\"https:\/\/www.latimes.com\/world-nation\/story\/2021-01-23\/honduras-caravan-biden-immigration-plan\">$4 billion in funding<\/a> to address drivers of migration out of Central America and to provide regular pathways for migration to the US, ensuring \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/briefing-room\/statements-releases\/2021\/02\/02\/fact-sheet-president-biden-outlines-steps-to-reform-our-immigration-system-by-keeping-families-together-addressing-the-root-causes-of-irregular-migration-and-streamlining-the-legal-immigration-syst\/\">a safe, lawful, and orderly migration in the region<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #009999;\"><strong>An important opening to climate-induced mobility<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Even though climate change was one of the main issues of Biden\u2019s platform\u2019s, its nexus with migration had not been explicitly addressed, until late 2020. At the end of December 2020, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/article\/john-kerry-biden-climate-czar\">Biden\u2019s Special Presidential Envoy for Climate<\/a>, John Kerry, did address the phenomenon of climate-induced migration, anticipating the need to update the current U.S. immigration system to recognize and include climate migrants. On February 4<sup>th<\/sup>, the President went one step further by signing the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/briefing-room\/presidential-actions\/2021\/02\/04\/executive-order-on-rebuilding-and-enhancing-programs-to-resettle-refugees-and-planning-for-the-impact-of-climate-change-on-migration\/\">Executive Order<\/a> on <em>Rebuilding and Enhancing Programs to Resettle Refugees and Planning for the Impact of Climate Change on Migration<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>The executive order for the time being only calls for a report to be submitted to the president by July 2021. However, according to the order the report should include \u201coptions for protection and resettlement of individuals displaced directly or indirectly from climate change\u201d. If put in practice, the adoption of such \u201coptions\u201d would mark an unprecedented move to provide those displaced due to climate change with international protection and resettlement options, setting an incredibly important precedent at international level, and therefore the developments of this discussion are worth to be closely monitored.<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #009999;\"><strong>Facing the usual challenges \u2026<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Similarly to the plan of President Trump in 2017 to impose the so-called \u201cMuslim ban\u201d upon taking office, the aforementioned changes do not have an immediate impact nor are they set-in-stone. On January 22<sup>nd <\/sup>2021, for example, a federal judge blocked the new administration\u2019s moratorium to halt deportations, at least until the end of February. As a consequence, on February 8<sup>th<\/sup>, at least 72 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2021\/feb\/08\/us-ice-immigration-customs-enforcement-haiti-deportations\">Haitians were deported<\/a> to the island regardless of the presidential order. At the same time, federal judges confirmed the legality of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/news\/migrant-children-expelled-and-deported\/\">deporting<\/a> unaccompanied and separated children at the border.<\/p>\n<p>Further, passing President Biden\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/edition.cnn.com\/2021\/01\/26\/politics\/biden-immigration-strategy\/index.html\">immigration bill<\/a> through Congress will prove to be a challenging task to accomplish, or, to use the words of other democrats \u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2021\/jan\/23\/biden-mexico-president-trump-immigration\">\u201ca Herculean task\u201d<\/a>. The economic impact of the pandemic is considered by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pewresearch.org\/politics\/2021\/01\/28\/economy-and-covid-19-top-the-publics-policy-agenda-for-2021\/\">most US nationals<\/a> as the main issue the new administration should focus on, at least at the beginning of the year, while immigration is not considered a top priority by the general public: only 39% of respondents in a survey believed that immigration should be considered a priority. On the contrary, there seems to be more <a href=\"https:\/\/www.moreincommon.com\/media\/sb3h125v\/more-in-common-usrap-02-17-21.pdf\">public support<\/a> for overhauling the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP).<\/p>\n<p>Although Democrats control both the Senate and the House of Representatives \u2013 by a very narrow margin \u2013 bipartisan cooperation on immigration reform seems unlikely since it has always been a hot-button issue. A Republican Senator from Ohio, for instance, publicly declared that \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/joe-biden-donald-trump-legislation-immigration-border-security-2179887c74cfd8d156bbd293abfc9fb0\">a mass amnesty with no safeguards and no strings attached is a nonstarter<\/a>\u201d.<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #009999;\"><strong>Consequences for mixed migration dynamics in Central America<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><em><strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><u>Tackling the migrant <span style=\"color: #000000;\">caravans<\/span> from the Northern Triangle<\/u><\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>During the presidential campaign, the Biden administration published a foreign policy <a href=\"https:\/\/joebiden.com\/centralamerica\/\">plan<\/a> aimed specifically at Central America, mainly at the Northern Triangle countries: El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala \u2013the countries of origin of most people on the move who try to reach the US, after Mexico The plan focused on reducing migration out of these countries by \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2021\/jan\/23\/biden-mexico-president-trump-immigration\">addressing its root causes<\/a>\u201d, including alleviating economic deprivation, reducing crime and violence, incentivizing private investment in the region and building strategies to address corruption.<\/p>\n<p>As a follow-up to his campaign, on February 2<sup>nd<\/sup> President Biden signed the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/briefing-room\/presidential-actions\/2021\/02\/02\/executive-order-creating-a-comprehensive-regional-framework-to-address-the-causes-of-migration-to-manage-migration-throughout-north-and-central-america-and-to-provide-safe-and-orderly-processing\/\"><em>Executive Order<\/em><\/a><em> on Creating a Comprehensive Regional Framework to Address the Causes of Migration, to Manage Migration Throughout North and Central America, and to Provide Safe and Orderly Processing of Asylum Seekers at the United States Border. <\/em>According to the order, the US will coordinate with the Northern Triangle countries and Mexico to develop strategies to reduce migration by \u201caddressing its root causes\u201d, and manage migration flows in the region by facilitating \u201caccess to protection and other lawful immigration avenues, in both the United States and partner countries\u201d although this will be done \u201cas close to migrants\u2019 home as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>However, these plans are put forward against quite bleak expectations for near future scenarios in the region. The already strained economies of the region are expected to further contract due \u00a0to a combination of <a href=\"https:\/\/edition.cnn.com\/2021\/01\/25\/politics\/biden-lpez-obrador-call\/index.html\">COVID-19<\/a> impacts and the damages caused by hurricanes ETA and IOTA.\u00a0 One of the main drivers of the first <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thenewhumanitarian.org\/news-feature\/2020\/12\/11\/honduras-hurricane-survivors-migrant-caravan\">migrant caravan of 2021<\/a> out of Honduras was precisely the lack of government assistance and response to those affected by the hurricanes and therefore, according to some analysts, these movements are <a href=\"https:\/\/insightcrime.org\/news\/analysis\/biden-security-central-america\/\">set to further intensify <\/a>in the near future.\u00a0 So, the new administration plan might, if successful, reduce migration flows out of Central America in the long term, but in the short term these movements are expected to continue. This seems to be the expectation also in Washington which, while trying to switch the focus toward a more sustainable approach to migration, has nevertheless maintained\u00a0 a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/article\/usa-immigration-military-insight-int-idUSKBN2AC274\">\u201ctough migration enforcement south of border\u201d<\/a> , in line with the previous administration.<\/p>\n<h3><strong><span style=\"color: #009999;\">Consequences for mixed migration dynamics in the Caribbean<\/span> <\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><em><strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><u>Biden\u2019s approach to Cuba\u2026<\/u><\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>The change of government in the US raised expectations beyond Central America, including the Caribbean. In the case of Cuba <a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/u-s-cuba-relations-will-joe-biden-pick-up-where-barack-obama-left-off-153269\">expectations<\/a> are that it will reverse the previous administration\u2019s decisions \u2014 including restrictions on travel to the US, limits on the remittances that can be sent to the island, barriers to US investments in the Caribbean nation, and the reintroduction of Cuba on the list of state sponsors of terrorism. However, so far, there has been no drastic change and the Biden administration has only mentioned that it will <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/news\/2021\/1\/28\/biden-administration-to-review-trump-policy-on-cuba-white-house\">reassess US policy toward the island<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>These foreign policy choices might, in the medium term, mitigate some of the main drivers of migration out of Cuba. However, this will not eliminate the political drivers leading Cubans to migrate toward the US, which are likely to persist. In fact, as highlighted by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) in its latest <a href=\"https:\/\/www.oas.org\/en\/iachr\/media_center\/PReleases\/2020\/127.asp#:~:text=The%20IACHR%20monitors%20the%20human,through%20its%20various%20protection%20mechanisms.\">country report<\/a>, Cuba \u201ccontinues to be the only country in the Americas in which there are no guarantees of any kind for exercising the right to freedom of expression\u201d and stated remaining \u201cconcerned about the serious limitation on freedom of opinion, expression, and the imparting of information and ideas\u201d in the island.<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><em><u>\u2026and to Haiti<\/u><\/em><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Cuba is not the only Caribbean island that retained Biden\u2019s attention. Haitian migration towards North America increased in recent years. A 2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/rosanjose.iom.int\/site\/en\/news\/iom-publishes-first-data-2019-profile-extra-regional-migrants-panama\">survey on profiles of extra-regional migrants <\/a>\u00a0towards North America conducted by IOM in Panama highlighted that 32% of respondents were Haitians. While in 2018 only 78 Haitians sought asylum in Mexico, in 2019 this number reached <a href=\"https:\/\/imumi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Un-viaje-de-esperanza-La-Migracion-de-Mujeres-Haitianas-a-Tapachula-Mexico.-Resumen-Ejecutivo.pdf\">5,550<\/a>. \u00a0Most of them were planning to continue their journey north toward the US, but increasingly restrictive border controls forced them to temporarily stop in Mexico. In mid-2020, a Haitian organization based in Tijuana estimated up to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.voiceofsandiego.org\/topics\/news\/border-report-surviving-in-tijuana-has-gotten-even-harder-for-haitian-migrants\/\">9,000 Haitian refugees and migrants<\/a> had remained stranded in Mexico during their journey north: 4,000 in Tijuana and between 4,000 and 5,000 in Tapachula. <a href=\"https:\/\/reliefweb.int\/sites\/reliefweb.int\/files\/resources\/2021_Haiti_Crisis_Response_Plan_2021.pdf\">Drivers of migration<\/a> out of Haiti include the 2010 earthquake, an unending series of natural disasters \u2013 Hurricane Mathew being the latest disaster to hit the country \u2013 poverty, a political and economic crisis and, more recently, the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n<p>Mixed migration flows out of Haiti faced a tough response by the previous administration, including swift deportations and the elimination of regularization options. During the presidential campaign, Biden\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.miamiherald.com\/opinion\/editorials\/article247196414.html\">platform<\/a> called for an immediate reassessment of the previous administration\u2019s decision to halt TPS. He also pledged to restore the Haitian Reunification Parole program, allowing Haitians to apply for temporary working visas and reverse a decision to limit student visas to two years. Last, but not least, he promised to support the organization of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.state.gov\/briefings\/department-press-briefing-february-5-2021\/\">free and fair elections<\/a> in the country at the end of the current presidential term.<\/p>\n<p>Also in this case, while these promises signal in principle an important change of attitude, from a cold shoulder to a relatively warm welcome for those leaving a deteriorating situation on the island, whether they will be put in practice, and with which result, remains to be seen. As mentioned\u00a0 above, on February 8<sup>th<\/sup>, at least 72 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2021\/feb\/08\/us-ice-immigration-customs-enforcement-haiti-deportations\">Haitians were deported<\/a> to the island, including 21 children, in apparent breach of Biden\u2019s executive order. On the political front, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/world-latin-america-56069575\">fresh anti-government protests erupted on 14<sup>th<\/sup> February<\/a> linked to the end of the current presidential term which, according to the opposition, ended on February 7<sup>th<\/sup>, but the president in charge, Jovenel Moise, has extended until February 2022. \u00a0This seems to be hinting at a possible forthcoming period of renewed instability and potential violence. \u00a0So far, the US has tried to chase two rabbits at the same time: on the one hand they accepted unpopular Haitian President Jovenel Moise\u2019s claim to hold power for another year while urging, on the other, restraint and fresh elections. The months to come will be critical to determine the turn of events, including the impact on mixed migration movements toward the US, with the Biden administration potentially having to adapt its strategy accordingly.<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #009999;\"><strong>Consequences for movements out of Venezuela<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Although geographically removed from the US, Venezuela has been a major foreign policy focus for most countries in the Americas for years, also due to the humanitarian crisis in the country and the scale of mixed migration movements resulting from it.<\/p>\n<p>The Biden administration approach so far on the Venezuelan situation has been, in short, to keep a hard-line against the Maduro regime. Despite President Maduro\u2019s announcement that the Venezuelan government was \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/americas\/20210124-venezuela-s-maduro-hopes-to-establish-new-path-with-us-under-biden\">willing to turn the page<\/a>\u201d on its relationship with the US on 22, January, the US reaffirmed their recognition of Juan Guaido as Venezuela\u2019s interim president and pushes for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/news\/latino\/biden-administration-won-t-be-negotiating-venezuela-s-maduro-keeping-n1256735\">fresh and more effective sanctions<\/a> \u2014 which will most probably imply further crippling of the country\u2019s economy and a worsening of the humanitarian crisis. The Biden administration also vouches to provide greater humanitarian assistance both inside Venezuela, as well as to Venezuelan refugees and migrants abroad, according to a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/news\/latino\/biden-administration-won-t-be-negotiating-venezuela-s-maduro-keeping-n1256735\">State Department spokesperson<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>On the domestic front, President Biden introduced a TPS for Venezuelan nationals. The bill was introduced on January 25<sup>th<\/sup> and will grant Venezuelans residing in the US when the bill was enacted protection against deportation and a work permit for 18 months. Within the same bill, the US announced its commitment to \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.foreign.senate.gov\/imo\/media\/doc\/MDM210791.pdf\">improving international migration systems in countries surrounding Venezuela<\/a>\u201d, encouraging neighboring countries to provide Venezuelan refugees and migrants international and\/or humanitarian protection. It then came as no surprise that US long-standing ally in the region, Colombia, suddenly announced its program to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.unhcr.org\/news\/press\/2021\/2\/60214cf74\/unhcr-iom-welcome-colombias-decision-regularize-venezuelan-refugees-migrants.html\">regularize up to 1.8 million Venezuelans<\/a> in its territory.<\/p>\n<p>The creation of the Temporary Protected Status for Migrants (ETPM for its Spanish acronym) in Colombia will likely lead more Venezuelans to leave their country: Venezuelans who enter Colombia through an official border crossing within the first two years of this measure can apply for temporary status. At the same time, however, Venezuelans are also still returning to their country \u2013 either voluntarily or involuntarily \u2013 due to the repercussions of COVID-19 in their destination countries. \u00a0A recent survey conducted by the Regional Inter-Agency Coordination Platform for Refugees and Migrants in Venezuela (<a href=\"https:\/\/r4v.info\/es\/documents\/details\/84598\">R4V<\/a>) revealed that 38% of respondents returning to Venezuela had no intention of coming back to Colombia: 17% was returning because of lack of livelihoods, 21% because of food shortage and 11% was evicted from their homes.<\/p>\n<p>Whether other countries in the Latin American and Caribbean region will follow Colombia\u2019s lead in creating mass regularization programs, remains to be seen. At least, for now, Chile has taken the opposite approach by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.24horas.cl\/nacional\/crisis-humanitaria-gobierno-licito-15-aviones-para-expulsar-migrantes-ilegales-4640889\">stepping up<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/mundo\/noticias-america-latina-56026300\">deportations<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #009999;\"><strong>Conclusion: a mixed scenario for mixed migration in the Americas<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>President Biden\u2019s announcements and actions point to a future of more welcoming US immigration policies compared to the previous administration, including the introduction of new pathways for regularization and citizenship as well as the removal of obstacles to asylum.<\/p>\n<p>As a democrat successor, it was foreseeable that President Biden would unwind former President Trump\u2019s immigration policies and go back to an approach similar to the previous Obama administration. The immigration reform bill however will \u2013 if passed without amendments \u2013 outstrip any previous presidential initiative. It also sets itself apart by not including \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.migrationpolicy.org\/article\/biden-immigration-reform-agenda\">new enforcement measures<\/a>\u201d, focusing on other regions rather than solely on the US-Mexican border, and establishing a nexus between climate change and migration.<\/p>\n<p>About the latter, the potential opening to the recognition of climate induced movements and the expressed need to discuss options for protection and resettlement of individuals displaced directly or indirectly from climate change is an extremely important step in the right direction. As mentioned above, for the time being all what we can expect is a report covering these issues to be submitted to the presidency in July 2021, with recommendations about how to take this crucial issue forward. Any concrete actions in this area would set an incredibly important precedent at international level, and therefore the developments of this initiative should be monitored very closely.<\/p>\n<p>Also on the international level, the U.S. announced during the January 2021 13<sup>th<\/sup> <a href=\"https:\/\/geneva.usmission.gov\/2021\/01\/26\/u-s-statement-at-the-global-forum-on-migration-and-development-summit\/\">Global Forum on Migration and Development<\/a>, that the U.S. \u201cwill show up, listen and ask questions\u201d when it comes to the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration. The U.S. did not adopt the GCM, after the previous administration pulled out from the discussions on the evening of the GCM stocktaking conference in Mexico in 2017, even before the negotiations started. This, albeit carefully phrased, potential change in the U.S. involvement in the GCM, is another positive step, potentially bringing the US firmly back into multilateral discussions on migration governance.<\/p>\n<p>While all the above paint a promising picture of progressive immigration reform, expectations should not be too high. Firstly, structural changes depend on approval by the US Congress and, even if adopted, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/news\/2021\/2\/11\/mexico-president-warns-against-believing-us-now-has-open-doors\">are likely to take time<\/a> to implement. Secondly, many of the new regularization options currently being proposed would only benefit undocumented migrants and refugees who are already in the US, rather than those who might reach the US border in the future. Lastly, the new administration\u2019s plans towards Mexico and Central America confirm a focus toward reducing migration and contrasting irregular flows, pointing to some sort of \u201cstick and carrot\u201d rather than \u201copen doors\u201d approach.<\/p>\n<p>In term of concrete impact on population movements, in the Americas and elsewhere, although this new approach to migration policy might entice some to start a journey toward the US by raising hopes for a more favorable treatment, it is unlikely to cause drastic changes in migration flows. Should such flows increase in the short term, this will more likely be due to enduring migration drivers exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n<p>On the other hand, if rolled out successfully, the new administration\u2019s decisions regarding immigration reform and foreign policy might have a stronger impact in the interim and long term, both by mitigating some of the factors currently forcing many to migrate and by providing new avenues for them to reach the US in a safe and regular way.<\/p>\n<p>Many challenges lie ahead, however, and the extent to which the new US administration will deliver on its many promises remains to be seen.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #009999;\"><strong>Expectativas tras las promesas de Biden: \u00bfcu\u00e1les efectos en la migraci\u00f3n mixta?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Durante la campa\u00f1a presidencial, la plataforma de Joe Biden en materia de inmigraci\u00f3n difiri\u00f3 fuertemente de las <a href=\"https:\/\/www.migrationpolicy.org\/research\/us-immigration-system-changes-trump-presidency\">pol\u00edticas restrictivas<\/a> de la anterior administraci\u00f3n de Estados Unidos (EE.UU), destinadas en gran medida a frenar la migraci\u00f3n e impedir que refugiados y migrantes lleguen a territorio estadounidense. Del mismo modo, la <a href=\"https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/2021\/02\/05\/understanding-bidens-first-foreign-policy-speech\/\">agenda de pol\u00edtica exterior<\/a> de Biden supuso un fuerte alejamiento de la postura aislacionista \u201cAm\u00e9rica primero\u201d de la anterior administraci\u00f3n basada en la proyecci\u00f3n de un poder \u201cduro\u201d unilateral. \u00bfCu\u00e1l es el probable impacto de este nuevo enfoque para los movimientos migratorios mixtos en el continente americano?<\/p>\n<h3><strong><span style=\"color: #009999;\">Compromisos para un nuevo enfoque<\/span> <\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>El presidente Biden prometi\u00f3 una <a href=\"https:\/\/joebiden.com\/immigration\/\">pol\u00edtica migratoria<\/a> que reflejara los valores democr\u00e1ticos de EE.UU \u2013 \u201c[\u2026] <a href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/briefing-room\/speeches-remarks\/2021\/02\/04\/remarks-by-president-biden-on-americas-place-in-the-world\/\">defender los derechos universales, respetar el estado de derecho, tratar a todas las personas con dignidad<\/a>\u201d \u2013 incluyendo la creaci\u00f3n de v\u00edas de regularizaci\u00f3n y acceso a la ciudadan\u00eda para los migrantes indocumentados que ya viven en EE.UU. Adem\u00e1s, la nueva administraci\u00f3n prometi\u00f3 modernizar el sistema migratorio, reafirmar el compromiso de EE.UU con la protecci\u00f3n de los solicitantes de asilo y los refugiados, aumentar la <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/politics\/2020\/12\/02\/biden-refugees-resettlement-trump\/\">cuota de reasentamiento de refugiados<\/a> de EE.UU de 15,000 al a\u00f1o \u2013 como estableci\u00f3 la anterior administraci\u00f3n para el a\u00f1o fiscal 2021 \u2013 a 125,000, y revisar las pol\u00edticas fronterizas.<\/p>\n<p>El entonces candidato presidencial tambi\u00e9n hizo promesas en su campa\u00f1a a grupos espec\u00edficos, como la de conceder inmediatamente el Estatus de Protecci\u00f3n Temporal (Temporary Protection Status &#8211; TPS) a los <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rev.com\/transcript-editor\/shared\/hx3CCJH0d2wJs3NlYf3pse7-Dpy1Pjr9bWXYXLqOKQWmqWoMCjUbnNiHQmXWM0gEZfBSt5ahqEU4oMidmoByfg0PsPc?loadFrom=PastedDeeplink&amp;ts=2359.53\">venezolanos<\/a>. Paralelamente, se ha especulado de un posible <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/article\/us-usa-immigration-biden\/exclusive-biden-team-weighs-deportation-relief-for-more-than-1-million-hondurans-guatemalans-idUSKBN28V2IN\">plan de la actual administraci\u00f3n<\/a> para conceder el TPS a m\u00e1s de un mill\u00f3n de hondure\u00f1os y guatemaltecos que ya se encuentran en EE.UU (de forma regular o irregular) protegi\u00e9ndolos de la deportaci\u00f3n, debido al impacto de los huracanes ETA e IOTA en sus pa\u00edses de origen.<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #009999;\"><strong>Haciendo y deshaciendo \u2026<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Para llevar a cabo esta agenda, el gobierno de Biden prometi\u00f3 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/election-us-2020-53575474\">deshacer las pol\u00edticas de la administraci\u00f3n anterior<\/a> en materia de migraci\u00f3n durante sus primeros 100 d\u00edas. Y en efecto, a los veintisiete d\u00edas de su mandato, el presidente Biden adopt\u00f3 ya varias \u00f3rdenes ejecutivas y memorandos que muestran su compromiso los anuncios hechos en campa\u00f1a.<\/p>\n<p>Para comenzar, los Protocolos de Protecci\u00f3n a Migrantes (Migrant Protocols Program \u2013 MPP), que obliga a las personas que solicitan asilo en los EE.UU a permanecer en territorio mexicano durante todo su proceso de asilo, fue suspendido. De hecho, a algunos solicitantes de asilo ya se les ha permitido <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bloomberg.com\/news\/articles\/2021-02-07\/border-agents-release-migrants-into-u-s-in-shift-from-trump\">esperar en territorio estadounidense<\/a> mientras se toma una decisi\u00f3n sobre su solicitud de asilo. A partir del 19 de febrero, hasta <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/politics\/immigration\/biden-admin-begin-processing-asylum-seekers-who-were-forced-remain-n1257569\">25,000 solicitantes de asilo inscritos en el MPP<\/a> \u2013 considerados vulnerables y que han sobrellevado largos tiempos de espera en M\u00e9xico \u2013 podr\u00e1n entrar a los Estados Unidos. Adem\u00e1s, se suspendieron los Acuerdos de Cooperaci\u00f3n de Asilo (Asylum Cooperative Agreements\u00a0 &#8211; ACA) con El Salvador, Honduras, y Guatemala, tambi\u00e9n conocidos como acuerdos de \u201ctercer pa\u00eds seguro\u201d. Estos anuncios fueron <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2021\/01\/22\/959664319\/asylum-seekers-hope-bidens-pledge-to-welcome-immigrants-includes-them\">bien recibidos<\/a> por los refugiados y migrantes de la regi\u00f3n, especialmente los que se encuentran varados en la frontera entre EE.UU y M\u00e9xico.<\/p>\n<p>El presidente Biden tambi\u00e9n radic\u00f3 en el Congreso un proyecto de ley migratoria \u2013 la Ley de Ciudadan\u00eda de EE.UU de 2021 \u2013 que espera facilitar una v\u00eda de acceso a la ciudadan\u00eda para 11 millones de migrantes indocumentados y permitir que los beneficiarios de la pol\u00edtica llamada \u201cDeferred Action for Childhood Arrivals\u201d (DACA) y los titulares del TPS soliciten una tarjeta de <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/article\/us-usa-biden-immigration-bill-factbox\/factbox-whats-in-bidens-immigration-bill-proposal-idUSKBN29P27G\">residencia permanente.<\/a> Adem\u00e1s de facilitar el acceso a la ciudadan\u00eda, el proyecto de ley tambi\u00e9n contempla <a href=\"https:\/\/www.latimes.com\/world-nation\/story\/2021-01-23\/honduras-caravan-biden-immigration-plan\">4,000 millones de d\u00f3lares en financiaci\u00f3n<\/a> para abordar los factores impulsores de la migraci\u00f3n en Am\u00e9rica Central y proporcionar v\u00edas regulares para la migraci\u00f3n hacia EE.UU, garantizando \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/briefing-room\/statements-releases\/2021\/02\/02\/fact-sheet-president-biden-outlines-steps-to-reform-our-immigration-system-by-keeping-families-together-addressing-the-root-causes-of-irregular-migration-and-streamlining-the-legal-immigration-syst\/\">una migraci\u00f3n segura, legal y ordenada en la regi\u00f3n<\/a>\u201d.<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #009999;\"><strong>Una importante apertura hacia la movilidad inducida por el cambio clim\u00e1tico<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Aunque el cambio clim\u00e1tico era uno de los temas principales de la plataforma de Biden, su nexo con la migraci\u00f3n no se hab\u00eda abordado expl\u00edcitamente, hasta finales de 2020. A finales de diciembre de 2020, el <a href=\"https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/article\/john-kerry-biden-climate-czar\">Enviado Presidencial Especial para el Clima<\/a> de Biden, John Kerry, s\u00ed abord\u00f3 el fen\u00f3meno de la migraci\u00f3n inducida por el cambio clim\u00e1tico, anticipando la necesidad de renovar el actual sistema migratorio del pa\u00eds para as\u00ed reconocer e incluir a los migrantes ambientales. El 4 de febrero, el Presidente dio un paso m\u00e1s al firmar la <a href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/briefing-room\/presidential-actions\/2021\/02\/04\/executive-order-on-rebuilding-and-enhancing-programs-to-resettle-refugees-and-planning-for-the-impact-of-climate-change-on-migration\/\">Orden Ejecutiva<\/a> sobre la <em>Reconstrucci\u00f3n y Mejora de los Programas de Reasentamiento de Refugiados y la Planificaci\u00f3n para el Impacto del Cambio Clim\u00e1tico en la Migraci\u00f3n. <\/em><\/p>\n<p>Por el momento, la orden ejecutiva s\u00f3lo prev\u00e9 la entrega de un informe al presidente antes de julio de 2021. Sin embargo, seg\u00fan la orden, el informe debe incluir \u201copciones para la protecci\u00f3n y el reasentamiento de las personas desplazadas directa o indirectamente por el cambio clim\u00e1tico\u201d. Si se pone en pr\u00e1ctica, la adopci\u00f3n de estas \u201copciones\u201d supondr\u00eda un paso sin igual para ofrecerle opciones para la protecci\u00f3n internacional y el reasentamiento a los desplazados por el cambio clim\u00e1tico, sentando un precedente incre\u00edblemente importante a nivel internacional, por lo que merece la pena seguir de cerca la evoluci\u00f3n de este debate.<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #009999;\"><strong>Frente a los desaf\u00edos habituales \u2026<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Al igual que el plan del presidente Trump en 2017 de imponer el llamado \u201cmuslim ban\u201d al asumir el cargo, los cambios mencionados no tienen un impacto inmediato ni son inamovibles. El 22 de enero de 2021, por ejemplo, un juez federal bloque\u00f3 la moratoria de la nueva administraci\u00f3n para suspender las deportaciones, al menos hasta finales de febrero. Como consecuencia, el 8 de febrero, al menos <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2021\/feb\/08\/us-ice-immigration-customs-enforcement-haiti-deportations\">72 haitianos fueron deportados<\/a> a la isla a pesar de la orden presidencial. Al mismo tiempo, los jueces federales confirmaron la legalidad de la <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/news\/migrant-children-expelled-and-deported\/\">deportaci\u00f3n de ni\u00f1os separados y no acompa\u00f1ados<\/a> en la frontera.<\/p>\n<p>Adem\u00e1s, aprobar el <a href=\"https:\/\/edition.cnn.com\/2021\/01\/26\/politics\/biden-immigration-strategy\/index.html\">proyecto de ley de migraci\u00f3n<\/a> del presidente Biden en el Congreso resultar\u00e1 ser una tarea dif\u00edcil de llevar a cabo o, en palabras de otros dem\u00f3cratas, \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2021\/jan\/23\/biden-mexico-president-trump-immigration\">una tarea herc\u00falea<\/a>\u201d. El impacto econ\u00f3mico de la pandemia es considerado por la <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pewresearch.org\/politics\/2021\/01\/28\/economy-and-covid-19-top-the-publics-policy-agenda-for-2021\/\">mayor\u00eda de los estadounidenses<\/a> como el principal tema en el que deber\u00eda centrarse la nueva administraci\u00f3n, por lo menos a principios de a\u00f1o, mientras que la inmigraci\u00f3n no es considerada una prioridad por el p\u00fablico: seg\u00fan una encuesta, s\u00f3lo el 39% de los encuestados considera que la inmigraci\u00f3n deber\u00eda ser considerada una prioridad. \u00a0Por el contrario, el p\u00fablico parece <a href=\"https:\/\/www.moreincommon.com\/media\/sb3h125v\/more-in-common-usrap-02-17-21.pdf\">apoyar m\u00e1s<\/a> la revisi\u00f3n del Programa de Admisi\u00f3n de Refugiados de Estados Unidos (U.S. Refugee Admissions Program &#8211; USRAP).<\/p>\n<p>Aunque los dem\u00f3cratas controlan tanto el Senado como la C\u00e1mara de Representantes \u2013 por un margen muy estrecho \u2013 la cooperaci\u00f3n bipartidista sobre la reforma migratoria parece poco probable, ya que siempre ha sido un tema candente. Un senador republicano de Ohio, por ejemplo, declar\u00f3 p\u00fablicamente que \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/joe-biden-donald-trump-legislation-immigration-border-security-2179887c74cfd8d156bbd293abfc9fb0\">una amnist\u00eda masiva sin salvaguardias y sin condiciones no tiene la m\u00e1s m\u00ednima posibilidad\u201d.<\/a><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #009999;\"><strong>Consecuencias para las din\u00e1micas de la migraci\u00f3n mixta en Am\u00e9rica Central<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><u>Abordar las caravanas de migrantes del Tri\u00e1ngulo del Norte<\/u><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Durante la campa\u00f1a presidencial, la administraci\u00f3n Biden public\u00f3 un <a href=\"https:\/\/joebiden.com\/centralamerica\/\">plan<\/a> de pol\u00edtica exterior dirigido espec\u00edficamente hacia Am\u00e9rica Central, principalmente a los pa\u00edses del Tri\u00e1ngulo del Norte: El Salvador, Honduras y Guatemala \u2013 los pa\u00edses de origen de la mayor\u00eda de las personas refugiadas y migrantes que tratan de llegar a EE.UU, despu\u00e9s de M\u00e9xico. El plan se centraba en reducir la migraci\u00f3n que sale de estos pa\u00edses \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2021\/jan\/23\/biden-mexico-president-trump-immigration\">abordando sus causas estructurales<\/a>\u201d, incluyendo reducir la pobreza, combatir la delincuencia y la violencia, incentivar la inversi\u00f3n privada en la regi\u00f3n y crear estrategias para luchar contra la corrupci\u00f3n.<\/p>\n<p>En seguimiento a sus compromisos de campa\u00f1a, el 2 de febrero el presidente Biden firm\u00f3 la <a href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/briefing-room\/presidential-actions\/2021\/02\/02\/executive-order-creating-a-comprehensive-regional-framework-to-address-the-causes-of-migration-to-manage-migration-throughout-north-and-central-america-and-to-provide-safe-and-orderly-processing\/\">Orden Ejecutiva<\/a> sobre la <em>Creaci\u00f3n de un marco integral regional para abordar las causas de la migraci\u00f3n, gestionar la migraci\u00f3n en toda Am\u00e9rica del Norte y Central, y asegurar un procesamiento seguro y ordenado de los solicitantes de asilo en la frontera de Estados Unidos.<\/em> Seg\u00fan la orden, EE.UU coordinar\u00e1 con los pa\u00edses del Tri\u00e1ngulo del Norte y con M\u00e9xico para desarrollar estrategias que reduzcan la migraci\u00f3n \u201cabordando sus causas estructurales\u201d y gestionar los flujos migratorios en la regi\u00f3n facilitando \u201cel acceso a la protecci\u00f3n y a otras v\u00edas de migraci\u00f3n regular, tanto en EE.UU como en los pa\u00edses asociados\u201d, aunque esto se har\u00e1 \u201clo m\u00e1s cerca posible del hogar de los migrantes\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Sin embargo, estos planes se enfrentan a unas expectativas bastante sombr\u00edas para los futuros escenarios en la regi\u00f3n. Se espera que las econom\u00edas de la regi\u00f3n, ya de por s\u00ed muy debilitadas, se contraigan a\u00fan m\u00e1s debido a la combinaci\u00f3n de los impactos del <a href=\"https:\/\/edition.cnn.com\/2021\/01\/25\/politics\/biden-lpez-obrador-call\/index.html\">COVID-19<\/a> y los da\u00f1os causados por los huracanes ETA e IOTA. Unos de los principales factores impulsores de la primera <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thenewhumanitarian.org\/news-feature\/2020\/12\/11\/honduras-hurricane-survivors-migrant-caravan\">caravana de migrantes de 2021<\/a> que sali\u00f3 de Honduras fue precisamente la falta de asistencia y de respuesta por parte del gobierno a los afectados por los huracanes, por lo que, seg\u00fan algunos analistas, estos movimientos <a href=\"https:\/\/insightcrime.org\/news\/analysis\/biden-security-central-america\/\">se intensificar\u00e1n a\u00fan m\u00e1s<\/a> en un futuro pr\u00f3ximo. As\u00ed, el plan de la nueva administraci\u00f3n podr\u00eda, si tiene \u00e9xito reducir los flujos migratorios desde Centroam\u00e9rica a largo plazo, pero a corto plazo se espera que estos movimientos contin\u00faen. Esta parece ser la expectativa tambi\u00e9n en Washington que, mientras intenta cambiar el rumbo hacia una respuesta m\u00e1s sostenible hacia la migraci\u00f3n, ha mantenido sin embargo un \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/article\/usa-immigration-military-insight-int-idUSKBN2AC274\">control duro de la migraci\u00f3n al sur de la frontera<\/a>\u201d, en l\u00ednea con la administraci\u00f3n anterior.<\/p>\n<h3><strong><span style=\"color: #009999;\">Consecuencias para las din\u00e1micas de la migraci\u00f3n mixta en el Caribe<\/span> <\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><em><strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><u>El enfoque de Biden hacia Cuba \u2026<\/u><\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>El cambio de gobierno en EE.UU gener\u00f3 expectativas m\u00e1s all\u00e1 de Am\u00e9rica Central, incluyendo el Caribe. En el caso de Cuba <a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/u-s-cuba-relations-will-joe-biden-pick-up-where-barack-obama-left-off-153269\">las expectativas<\/a> son que se reviertan las decisiones de la administraci\u00f3n anterior \u2013 incluyendo las restricciones de viaje hacia EE.UU, los l\u00edmites a las remesas que se pueden enviar a la isla, las barreras a la inversi\u00f3n estadounidense en la naci\u00f3n caribe\u00f1a y la decisi\u00f3n de incluir nuevamente a Cuba en la lista de pa\u00edses patrocinadores del terrorismo. Sin embargo, hasta el momento no ha habido ning\u00fan cambio dr\u00e1stico y la administraci\u00f3n de Biden s\u00f3lo ha mencionado que <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/news\/2021\/1\/28\/biden-administration-to-review-trump-policy-on-cuba-white-house\">reevaluar\u00e1 la pol\u00edtica exterior de EE.UU hacia la isla<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Estas decisiones de pol\u00edtica exterior podr\u00edan, a mediano plazo, mitigar algunos de los principales factores impulsores de la migraci\u00f3n desde Cuba. Sin embargo, esto no eliminar\u00e1 los factores pol\u00edticos que llevan a los cubanos a migrar hacia EE.UU, que probablemente persistir\u00e1n. De hecho, como destac\u00f3 la Comisi\u00f3n Interamericana de Derechos Humanos (CIDH) en su \u00faltimo <a href=\"https:\/\/www.oas.org\/en\/iachr\/media_center\/PReleases\/2020\/127.asp#:~:text=The%20IACHR%20monitors%20the%20human,through%20its%20various%20protection%20mechanisms.\">informe sobre el pa\u00eds<\/a>, Cuba \u201csigue siendo el \u00fanico pa\u00eds de las Am\u00e9ricas en el que no existen garant\u00edas de ning\u00fan tipo para el ejercicio del derecho a la libertad de expresi\u00f3n\u201d y afirm\u00f3 seguir \u201cpreocupada por la grave limitaci\u00f3n de la libertad de pensamiento, de expresi\u00f3n y de difusi\u00f3n de informaci\u00f3n e ideas\u201d en la isla.<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><em><u>\u2026 y hacia Hait\u00ed<\/u><\/em>\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Cuba no es la \u00fanica isla caribe\u00f1a que capt\u00f3 la atenci\u00f3n de Biden. La migraci\u00f3n haitiana hac\u00eda Am\u00e9rica del Norte aument\u00f3 en los \u00faltimos a\u00f1os. Una encuesta de 2019 sobre los <a href=\"https:\/\/rosanjose.iom.int\/site\/en\/news\/iom-publishes-first-data-2019-profile-extra-regional-migrants-panama\">perfiles de los migrantes extra-regionales<\/a> hacia Am\u00e9rica del Norte realizada por la OIM en Panam\u00e1 destac\u00f3 que el 32% de los encuestados eran haitianos. Mientras que en 2018 s\u00f3lo 78 haitianos solicitaron asilo en M\u00e9xico, en 2019 esta cifra alcanz\u00f3 los <a href=\"https:\/\/imumi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Un-viaje-de-esperanza-La-Migracion-de-Mujeres-Haitianas-a-Tapachula-Mexico.-Resumen-Ejecutivo.pdf\">5,550<\/a>. La mayor\u00eda de ellos planeaba continuar su viaje hacia el norte, hacia EE.UU, pero los controles fronterizos cada vez m\u00e1s restrictivos los obligaron a detenerse temporalmente en M\u00e9xico. A mediados de 2020, una organizaci\u00f3n haitiana con sede en Tijuana estim\u00f3 que hasta <a href=\"https:\/\/www.voiceofsandiego.org\/topics\/news\/border-report-surviving-in-tijuana-has-gotten-even-harder-for-haitian-migrants\/\">9,000 refugiados y migrantes haitianos<\/a> hab\u00edan quedado varados en M\u00e9xico durante su viaje hacia el norte: 4,000 en Tijuana y entre 4,000 y 5,000 en Tapachula. Entre los <a href=\"https:\/\/reliefweb.int\/sites\/reliefweb.int\/files\/resources\/2021_Haiti_Crisis_Response_Plan_2021.pdf\">factores impulsores<\/a> de la migraci\u00f3n desde Hait\u00ed se encuentran el terremoto de 2010, una serie interminable de desastres naturales \u2013 el hurac\u00e1n Mathew siendo el \u00faltimo desastre natural en afectar al pa\u00eds \u2013 la pobreza, la crisis pol\u00edtica y econ\u00f3mica y, m\u00e1s recientemente, la pandemia del COVID-19.<\/p>\n<p>Los flujos migratorios mixtos que salen de Hait\u00ed se enfrentaron a una dura respuesta por parte de la anterior administraci\u00f3n, que incluy\u00f3 deportaciones expeditas y la eliminaci\u00f3n de las opciones de regularizaci\u00f3n. Durante la campa\u00f1a presidencial, la <a href=\"https:\/\/www.miamiherald.com\/opinion\/editorials\/article247196414.html\">plataforma<\/a> de Biden pidi\u00f3 una reevaluaci\u00f3n inmediata de la decisi\u00f3n de la administraci\u00f3n anterior de suspender el TPS. Tambi\u00e9n se comprometi\u00f3 a restaurar el programa de Permiso de Reunificaci\u00f3n Familiar Haitiana (Haitian Reunification Parole), permitir a los haitianos solicitar visados temporales de trabajo y revertir la decisi\u00f3n de limitar las visas de estudiantes a dos a\u00f1os. Por \u00faltimo, pero no menos importante, prometi\u00f3 apoyar la organizaci\u00f3n de <a href=\"https:\/\/www.state.gov\/briefings\/department-press-briefing-february-5-2021\/\">elecciones libres y justas<\/a> en el pa\u00eds al final del actual mandato presidencial.<\/p>\n<p>Tambi\u00e9n en este caso, si bien estas promesas se\u00f1alan en principio un importante cambio de actitud, pasando de la frialdad a una acogida relativamente c\u00e1lida para quienes abandonan la isla por su deteriorada situaci\u00f3n, est\u00e1 por ver si se pondr\u00e1n en pr\u00e1ctica, y con qu\u00e9 desenlace. Como se ha mencionado anteriormente, el 8 de febrero al menos <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2021\/feb\/08\/us-ice-immigration-customs-enforcement-haiti-deportations\">72 haitianos fueron deportados<\/a> a la isla, incluidos 21 ni\u00f1os, en aparente incumplimiento de la orden ejecutiva de Biden. En el plano pol\u00edtico, el <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/world-latin-america-56069575\">14 de febrero estallaron nuevas protestas antigubernamentales<\/a> relacionadas con el fin del actual mandato presidencial que, seg\u00fan la oposici\u00f3n, finalizaba el 7 de febrero, pero que el presidente de turno Jovenel Moise, ha prorrogado hasta febrero de 2022. Esto parece indicar un posible periodo de renovada inestabilidad y potenciales violencias. Hasta ahora, EE.UU ha intentado perseguir dos conejos a la vez: por un lado, acept\u00f3 la impopular decisi\u00f3n del presidente haitiano Jovenel Moise de continuar en el poder un a\u00f1o m\u00e1s, mientras que inst\u00f3, por otro lado, a garantizar elecciones nuevas libres y justas. Los pr\u00f3ximos meses ser\u00e1n decisivos para determinar el giro de los acontecimientos, incluido el impacto en los movimientos migratorios mixtos hacia EE.UU, y la administraci\u00f3n Biden podr\u00eda tener que adaptar su estrategia como consecuencia.<\/p>\n<h3><strong><span style=\"color: #009999;\">Consecuencias para los movimientos desde Venezuela<\/span> <\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Aunque est\u00e9 geogr\u00e1ficamente alejada de EE.UU, Venezuela es desde hace a\u00f1os uno de los principales focos de atenci\u00f3n de la pol\u00edtica exterior de la mayor\u00eda de los pa\u00edses de las Am\u00e9ricas, debido tambi\u00e9n a la crisis humanitaria del pa\u00eds y a la magnitud de los movimientos migratorios mixtos que se derivan de ella.<\/p>\n<p>El enfoque de la administraci\u00f3n Biden sobre la situaci\u00f3n venezolana ha sido, en resumen, mantener una l\u00ednea dura contra el r\u00e9gimen de Maduro. A pesar del anuncio del presidente Maduro que el gobierno venezolano estaba \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/americas\/20210124-venezuela-s-maduro-hopes-to-establish-new-path-with-us-under-biden\">dispuesto a pasar la p\u00e1gina\u201d<\/a> con respecto a su relaci\u00f3n con EE.UU el 22 de enero, los EE.UU reafirmaron su reconocimiento de Juan Guaido como presidente interino de Venezuela y presionan para que se impongan <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/news\/latino\/biden-administration-won-t-be-negotiating-venezuela-s-maduro-keeping-n1256735\">nuevas y m\u00e1s eficaces sanciones<\/a> \u2013 lo que muy probablemente implicar\u00e1 paralizar la econom\u00eda del pa\u00eds a\u00fan m\u00e1s y un empeoramiento de la crisis humanitaria. El gobierno de Biden tambi\u00e9n se compromete a proveer mayor asistencia humanitaria tanto dentro de Venezuela como a los refugiados y migrantes venezolanos en el extranjero, seg\u00fan un <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/news\/latino\/biden-administration-won-t-be-negotiating-venezuela-s-maduro-keeping-n1256735\">portavoz del Departamento de Estado<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>En el \u00e1mbito nacional, el presidente Biden introdujo un TPS para los ciudadanos venezolanos. El proyecto de ley se present\u00f3 el 25 de enero y otorgar\u00e1 a los venezolanos que resid\u00edan en EE.UU en el momento de su promulgaci\u00f3n protecci\u00f3n contra la deportaci\u00f3n y un permiso de trabajo durante 18 meses. Dentro del mismo proyecto de ley, EE.UU anunci\u00f3 su compromiso hacia \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.foreign.senate.gov\/imo\/media\/doc\/MDM210791.pdf\">mejorar los sistemas de migraci\u00f3n en los pa\u00edses que rodean a Venezuela<\/a>\u201d, alentando a los pa\u00edses vecinos a otorgarle protecci\u00f3n internacional y\/o humanitaria a los refugiados y migrantes venezolanos. No sorprendi\u00f3 entonces que Colombia, aliado estrat\u00e9gico de EE.UU en la regi\u00f3n desde hace tiempo, anunciara repentinamente su programa de <a href=\"https:\/\/www.unhcr.org\/news\/press\/2021\/2\/60214cf74\/unhcr-iom-welcome-colombias-decision-regularize-venezuelan-refugees-migrants.html\">regularizaci\u00f3n de 1,8 millones de venezolanos<\/a> en su territorio.<\/p>\n<p>La creaci\u00f3n del Estatus de Protecci\u00f3n Temporal a Migrantes Venezolanos (EPTM) en Colombia probablemente llevar\u00e1 a m\u00e1s venezolanos a abandonar su pa\u00eds: los venezolanos que entren a Colombia a trav\u00e9s de un paso fronterizo oficial durante los dos primeros a\u00f1os de esta medida pueden solicitar el estatus temporal. Al mismo tiempo, sin embargo, los venezolanos siguen regresando a su pa\u00eds \u2013 voluntaria o involuntariamente \u2013 debido a las repercusiones del COVID-19 en sus pa\u00edses de destino. Una encuesta reciente realizada por la Plataforma Regional de Coordinaci\u00f3n Interagencial para Refugiados y Migrantes en Venezuela (<a href=\"https:\/\/r4v.info\/es\/documents\/details\/84598\">R4V<\/a>) revel\u00f3 que el 38% de los encuestaos que regresaban a Venezuela no ten\u00edan intenci\u00f3n de volver a Colombia: el 17% regres\u00f3 por falta de medios de vida, el 21% por escasez de alimentos y el 11% fue desalojado de sus viviendas.<\/p>\n<p>Queda por ver si otros pa\u00edses de la regi\u00f3n de Am\u00e9rica Latina y el Caribe seguir\u00e1n el ejemplo de Colombia en la creaci\u00f3n de programas de regularizaci\u00f3n masiva. Al menos, por ahora, Chile ha adoptado el enfoque opuesto, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.24horas.cl\/nacional\/crisis-humanitaria-gobierno-licito-15-aviones-para-expulsar-migrantes-ilegales-4640889\">intensificando las deportaciones<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3><strong><span style=\"color: #009999;\">Conclusi\u00f3n: un escenario mixto para la migraci\u00f3n mixta en las Am\u00e9ricas<\/span> <\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Los anuncios y acciones del Presidente Biden apuntan a un futuro de medidas migratorias estadounidenses m\u00e1s acogedoras en comparaci\u00f3n a la administraci\u00f3n anterior, incluyendo la introducci\u00f3n de nuevas v\u00edas de regularizaci\u00f3n y de acceso a la ciudadan\u00eda, as\u00ed como la eliminaci\u00f3n de los obst\u00e1culos al asilo.<\/p>\n<p>Era predecible, como sucesor dem\u00f3crata, que el presidente Biden diera marcha atr\u00e1s a las pol\u00edticas migratorias del expresidente Trump y revirtiera a un enfoque similar al de la administraci\u00f3n Obama. Sin embargo, el proyecto de ley de reforma migratoria \u2013 si se aprueba sin enmiendas \u2013 superar\u00e1 cualquier iniciativa presidencial anterior. Tambi\u00e9n se distingue por no incluir \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.migrationpolicy.org\/article\/biden-immigration-reform-agenda\">nuevas medidas de control<\/a>\u201d, por centrarse en otras regiones y no s\u00f3lo en la frontera entre EE.UU y M\u00e9xico, y por establecer un nexo entre el cambio clim\u00e1tico y la migraci\u00f3n.<\/p>\n<p>En cuanto a esto \u00faltimo, la posible apertura al reconocimiento de la movilidad inducida por el cambio clim\u00e1tico y la necesidad expresada de debatir opciones de protecci\u00f3n y reasentamiento para las personas desplazadas directa o indirectamente por el cambio clim\u00e1tico es un paso extremadamente importante en la direcci\u00f3n correcta. Como ya se ha mencionado, por el momento lo \u00fanico que podemos esperar es un informe que cubra estos temas y que se presentar\u00e1 a la presidencia en julio de 2021, con recomendaciones sobre c\u00f3mo avanzar este crucial asunto. Cualquier acci\u00f3n concreta en este \u00e1mbito sentar\u00eda un precedente incre\u00edblemente importante a nivel internacional, por lo que habr\u00e1 que seguir muy de cerca la evoluci\u00f3n de esta iniciativa.<\/p>\n<p>Tambi\u00e9n a nivel internacional, Estados Unidos anunci\u00f3 durante el <a href=\"https:\/\/geneva.usmission.gov\/2021\/01\/26\/u-s-statement-at-the-global-forum-on-migration-and-development-summit\/\">Foro Mundial sobre Migraci\u00f3n y Desarrollo<\/a> el 13 de febrero de 2021, que \u201cse presentar\u00e1, escuchar\u00e1 y har\u00e1 preguntas\u201d en lo que concierne al Pacto Mundial para una Migraci\u00f3n Segura, Ordenada y Regular (GCM). Los EE.UU no adoptaron el GCM despu\u00e9s de que la administraci\u00f3n anterior se retirara de las discusiones en la conferencia de balance del GCM en M\u00e9xico en 2017, incluso antes de que comenzaran las negociaciones. Este potencial cambio, aunque cuidadosamente formulado, de la participaci\u00f3n de EE.UU en el GCM, es otro paso positivo, que podr\u00eda devolver firmemente a EE.UU a los debates multilaterales sobre la gobernanza de la migraci\u00f3n.<\/p>\n<p>Aunque todo lo anterior dibuja un panorama prometedor de reforma progresiva en temas migratorios, las expectativas no deben ser demasiado altas. En primer lugar, los cambios estructurales dependen de la aprobaci\u00f3n del Congreso de EE.UU e, incluso si se adoptan, es <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/news\/2021\/2\/11\/mexico-president-warns-against-believing-us-now-has-open-doors\">probable que tarden en implementarse<\/a>. En segundo lugar, muchas de las nuevas opciones de regularizaci\u00f3n que se proponen s\u00f3lo beneficiar\u00edan a los migrantes irregulares y a los refugiados que ya se encuentran en EE.UU, y no a los que podr\u00edan llegar en un futuro a la frontera estadounidense. Por \u00faltimo, los planes de la nueva administraci\u00f3n hacia M\u00e9xico y Am\u00e9rica Central confirman un enfoque hacia la reducci\u00f3n de la migraci\u00f3n y el contraste de los flujos irregulares, apuntando a una especie de estrategia de \u201cpalo y zanahoria\u201d m\u00e1s que de \u201cpuertas abiertas\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>En t\u00e9rminos del impacto concreto sobre los movimientos migratorios, en las Am\u00e9ricas y en otros lugares, aunque este nuevo enfoque de la pol\u00edtica migratoria podr\u00eda atraer a algunos a iniciar un viaje hacia EE.UU al despertar la esperanza de un trato m\u00e1s favorable, es poco probable que cause cambios dr\u00e1sticos en los flujos migratorios. En caso de que dichos flujos aumenten a corto plazo, es m\u00e1s probable que se deba a factores de expulsi\u00f3n duraderos exacerbados por la pandemia de COVID-19.<\/p>\n<p>Por otro lado, si se llevan a cabo con \u00e9xito, las decisiones de la nueva administraci\u00f3n en temas de reforma migratoria y pol\u00edtica exterior podr\u00edan tener un mayor impacto a mediano y largo plazo, tanto al mitigar algunos de los factores que actualmente obligan a muchos a migrar como al proporcionarles nuevas v\u00edas para llegar a EE.UU de forma segura y regular.<\/p>\n<p>Sin embargo, quedan muchos retos por delante, y est\u00e1 por ver hasta qu\u00e9 punto la nueva administraci\u00f3n estadounidense cumplir\u00e1 sus numerosas promesas.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Scroll down to read the article in Spanish | Despl\u00e1cese hacia abajo para leer el art\u00edculo en espa\u00f1ol During the presidential campaign, Joe Biden\u2019s platform on immigration stood in stark contrast with the previous United States (US) administration\u2019s far-reaching restrictive policies, largely aimed at curbing immigration and preventing people on the move from reaching US&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":7732,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[63,65,187,86,89,84],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7733","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-asylum-seekers","category-climate","category-drivers-of-migration","category-policy","category-refugees","category-trends-in-migration","region-latin-america-and-caribbean","country-cuba","country-el-salvador","country-guatemala","country-haiti","country-honduras","country-mexico","country-venezuela","writer-vanessa-molina-and-roberto-forin"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.maisoninteractive.com\/mixedmigrationcenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7733","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.maisoninteractive.com\/mixedmigrationcenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.maisoninteractive.com\/mixedmigrationcenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.maisoninteractive.com\/mixedmigrationcenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.maisoninteractive.com\/mixedmigrationcenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7733"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/staging.maisoninteractive.com\/mixedmigrationcenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7733\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7738,"href":"https:\/\/staging.maisoninteractive.com\/mixedmigrationcenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7733\/revisions\/7738"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.maisoninteractive.com\/mixedmigrationcenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7732"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.maisoninteractive.com\/mixedmigrationcenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7733"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.maisoninteractive.com\/mixedmigrationcenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7733"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.maisoninteractive.com\/mixedmigrationcenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7733"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}