A senior official in the Trump administration said Friday that the United States plans on signing a “cooperative asylum agreement” with El Salvador that would allow migrants traveling in El Salvador to seek asylum in that country — which is one of Central America’s most violent.
{mosads}The Associated Press reported the possible deal, which comes as the Trump administration seeks cooperation from Mexico and Central American nations to curb the number of migrants that end up at the southern border seeking asylum in the United States.
The official told the AP that acting Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan would sign the agreement, which would be different from the “safe third country” deal the U.S. has sought to finalize with Guatemala.
While the agreement might lead Central American asylum-seekers to take refuge in El Salvador, many El Salvadorans have sought asylum themselves, as El Salvador touts one of the highest homicide rates in the world.
Gang warfare in El Salvador has been blamed for many migrants exiting the country for the United States.