The Biden administration is planning to refer some migrants in Latin America for resettlement in Greece and Italy as part of an effort to deter people in the region from traveling to the U.S.-Mexico border, according to sources familiar with the plans. This initiative involves Greece and Italy welcoming migrants processed at Safe Mobility Offices, which the administration set up last year in Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Guatemala. These offices screen migrants hoping to reach the U.S. and allow them to apply for legal entry into the U.S. or other countries. Greece and Italy will join Canada and Spain in resettling some of these migrants, with each likely to accept around 500 or fewer.
This effort is part of a broader strategy to reduce illegal border crossings by providing legal immigration opportunities and tougher enforcement measures. Over the past year, the administration has paired these programs with rules that presume migrants are ineligible for U.S. asylum if they failed to seek protection in a third country.
The administration credits these policies and Mexican efforts to curb migration for a significant decrease in unlawful crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border, down more than 50% in May from the record highs of December. To further manage migration, President Biden is expected to issue an executive action that would bar most asylum claims during periods of high illegal crossings.
