On Friday, July 26th, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas met with Honduran Foreign Minister Enrique Reina to address irregular migration and combat transnational organized crime through continued strong cooperation. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) welcomed Honduras’ recent investments to strengthen support for Hondurans abroad, including expanding its U.S. consular network. The Honduran government has also worked on internal efforts to generate local agricultural employment opportunities through recently passed legislation that seeks to address internal displacement and reduce emigration push factors. Foreign Minister Reina updated Secretary Mayorkas on Honduras’ work to promote the use of lawful pathways to come to the United States, including H-2A and H-2B visa programs. He also thanked Secretary Mayorkas for the recently announced actions to promote family unity for noncitizens married to a U.S. citizen and the recent extension of Employment Authorization Document validity for certain Temporary Protected Status beneficiaries, including certain Hondurans.

Honduras agreed to further streamline its coordination with the United States on removals of Honduran noncitizens who do not have a legal basis to remain in the United States. Through bilateral efforts, Honduras has increased its capacity to receive removal flights and will begin electronically verifying the nationality of Hondurans subject to removal orders across its entire U.S. consular network to afford more expeditious processing and reduced time in custody. To support those returning home, Honduras is also working to expand its reintegration programs, including with U.S. support.

Collective migration management efforts have effectively reduced the number of Hondurans encountered at the U.S. Southwest Border and fewer have fallen prey to smugglers who have no regard for their safety. The Presidential Proclamation and joint interim final rule issued by DHS and the Department of Justice (DOJ) have now been in effect for seven weeks, helping reduce the total number of encounters, including of Hondurans, at our Southwest Border by 55%. The Border Patrol’s 7-day average has decreased to below 1,800 encounters per day.