Jason Hopkins on June 17, 2019
President Donald Trump is officially withholding hundreds of millions in U.S. aid to three Central American countries as punishment for being much of the source of the current illegal immigration crisis.
The White House informed Congress Monday that it will permanently divert $370 million in aid to El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala, according to Reuters. That money was previously approved by Congress for fiscal year 2018, but had not yet been used.
Trump is not stopping there. The administration is also suspending $180 million that was approved in fiscal year 2017 that had not yet been spent.
The president’s decision to withhold aid to Central America’s Northern Triangle countries come as the immigration crisis continues to escalate.
U.S. Border Patrol apprehended more than 144,000 illegal migrants during May. The monthly total marked the third month in a row during which encounters topped 100,000, and verified apprehensions have grown every month since January. In total, well over half a million illegal migrants have been arrested by Border Patrol this fiscal year, and experts believe that number will hit one million when the year reaches its end.
A vast majority of these migrants are family units or unaccompanied minors from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador. The Department of Homeland Security — burdened by regulations intended only for large-scale apprehensions of lone Mexican men — are buckling under the weight of the new migrant demographics.
Trump on a quest to stop illegal immigration
The Trump administration has made concerted efforts to control the flow of Central American immigrants pouring across Mexico and into the U.S. southern border. Acting Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan embarked on a four-day trip to the Northern Triangle in May and was able to secure an agreement with the Guatemalan government aiming to curb illegal immigration from the country.
The White House doubled down on its international efforts with a sweeping deal with Mexico’s government earlier in June. Per that agreement, Mexico will deploy up to 6,000 National Guard troops to its southern border with Guatemala, and is ramping up security of its northern border with the U.S.
News of Trump diverting aid from Central America isn’t surprising. The administration announced its initial intentions in March.
“At the Secretary’s instruction, we are carrying out the President’s direction and ending FY 2017 and FY 2018 foreign assistance programs for the Northern Triangle,” a State Department said in March. “We will be engaging Congress as part of this process.”
The president has long been critical of Central American governments accepting U.S. aid as they allow their citizens to illegally migrate.
“Mexico is doing NOTHING to help stop the flow of illegal immigrants to our Country. They are all talk and no action. Likewise, Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador have taken our money for years, and do Nothing. The Dems don’t care, such BAD laws. May close the Southern Border!” President Donald Trump tweeted in late March.
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ready, aim, fire, only sure way to stop these people from illegally entering the country. of course tho, keep the media away from there. just leave bodies where they pile up to rot, as a reminder of what happens if you break the laws of immigration. good thing that i am not in charge there.
None of our former presidents, democrat OR republican stepped up to the plate to do what was truly necessary to protect our borders. They all gave us a lot of lip service about how we needed to protect our borders, but the illegals kept streaming in. We finally have a president that is doing what a president is SUPPOSED to do, and trying to uphold the laws of our country, and protect the American citizens. If you’ve got a problem with that, you are either dumb, on the government teat, or part of the movement to destroy this country……..or any combination of the above.
Doesn’t the USA borrow the money that they give away and then stick the taxpayer with the bill?
God Bless our Country and god Bless Trump
God Bless our Country and God Bless Trump.
TIME TO TELL THE POLITICIANS TO EITHER GET ON BOARD OR GET OUT, OF THE WAY, THE WALL IS GOING UP!
These are NOT asylum seekers nor is this immigration, rather it is an INVASION of ILLEGAL ALIENS into our once great country!
We already have some 30 million plus ILLEGAL ALIEN INVADERS, and now we MUST STOP this continued invasion in its tracks. ALL MUST BE DEPORTED BACK TO THEIR OWN COUNTRY.
Time to SHUT DOWN our southern border and STOP ALL FEDERAL-AID going to foreign countries. Start charging a 25% REMITTANCE FEE ON ALL MONEY BEING SENT TO MEXICO, and other Central American countries.
BOYCOTT MEXICO, and other Central American countries!!!
END DACA, End Chain Migration, End Anchor babies, Make E-VERIFY MANDATORY, REDUCE the number of legal immigrants entering the USA, CLOSE LOOPHOLES in our immigration laws, End TPS, Build the Wall, and ENFORCE our current immigration laws.
DEPORT THEM BACK TO THEIR OWN COUNTRY IMMEDIATELY!
The invasion started before 1986 and has continued to this day, only many times the total each year going even higher of ILLEGAL ALIEN INVADERS entering the US ILLEGALLY.
Time to put our military on our southern border and finally put a STOP to this insane madness. BY ALLOWING THEM TO DO WHAT THEY HAVE TRAINED FOR—-PROTECTING OUR COUNTRY AND ITS CITIZENS. If that means separating children from their parents in order to prosecute the ILLEGAL INVADERS, then so be it!
What the hell? That’s a total of $550,000,000 in foreign aid being sent to those Central American countries………and a lot of good it’s doing! What a total waste of American taxpayer dollars…….and it’s just the tip of the iceberg in money leaving this country on an annual basis (billions…..quite possibly trillions!!!) in the name of ‘foreign aid’ with no accountability whatsoever on how the money is spent or the progress being made in third world hell holes! Hello Congress…..you worthless pieces of crap! Step up to the plate and do your damn job!
You are SO RIGHT Marie !
Read D’Souza’s book, “The Death of a Nation.” In it he chronicles the Democrat plantation system where they are the overseers, which include a bloated bureaucracy uf unfireable, overpaid people with great perks the rest of us can only dream of.
You will be surprised to learn that China gets ‘foreign aid’ from the US! Yep, China is on the list of recipients and we are in serious debt to China. Make sense to you??? Doesn’t to me. The Washington syndicate could teach the Mafia a few tricks!
Billions, possibly trillions, leave this country on an annual basis in the name of “foreign aid’….much of it going to third world hell holes. Use the FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) and get a list of all the recipients (as I did); you will be horrified.
Worse yet, there is no ACCOUNTABILITY for this give away program……so much money goes to African countries and somehow it never winds up really helping those in need (WARLORDS are reaping the benefits). CONGRESS SUCKS!!!
If $180M was unspent in 2017, why authorize another $370M in 2018??? This is HALF A BILLION (with a “B”) DOLLARS . I think that might build a wall, don’t you?
Good question! Where DOES that money go, I don’t know, you don’t know and Congress doesn’t know either…..nor do they care …Their concern is their ideal health insurance program, their salary (w/increases almost annually) and their life-long pensions. WE NEED TERM LIMITS……WE NEED TO GET RID OF THE DEAD WEIGHT IN WASHINGTON!
You’re damn right; our president might not have the silver tongue of the Obamas or the Clintons, but he has the common sense to do the right thing for the benefit of the country. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!
Which means Trump is fulfilling his promise to make other countries pay to assist our security. I did not even vote for him on this issue, I was more interested in his business minded way of negotiating trade and his interest in reviving manufacturing instead of sending forces across the globe to make outsourcing safe.
But the irony is that “democrats” thought they could drive a wedge between Trump and his supporters by hammering him for not doing enough on this issue, and now it backfires on them because the “democrats” themselves have kept this issue as priority for Trump.
When one country invades another that is an act of war and Trump should treat it as such.We should so declare and take over these hostile incompetent Central American governments , impose martial law, clean out the corruption, open them up to American investments and establish Constitutional governments. The illegals are returned ,American know how invests every one wins. After all we have spent trillions in the Middle East lets adhere to the “Monroe Doctrine” and clean our own hemisphere. Starting with Mexico and continuing at least to the Canal
I keep hearing that, but when will this finally happen? I need to see this happen before I believe it anymore. !!!!!
I raised our kids the same way. I refused to raise kids no one could stand to be around. This is what I love about Trump. He makes a boundary, gives a warning and then follows through with punishment. I love this president so much!
“Free ride” paid for by hard working American citizens! Homeless vets should be getting the free ride, not anyone who breaks and enters our country and hasn’t contributed squat toward their own welfare and just wants hand outs. Dems who obstruct and don’t want to work for the benefit of our country need to be voted out. Laws need to be changed NOW!
Pay attention – this whole mess will be tied to the Obama Administration. HEADS ARE GOING TO ROLL PEOPLE
The goal of U.S AID has always been to further US economic business concerns.China wil be happy to fill the void and reap the benefits.
Why are we sending money to other countries? The common people do not get it. The leaders and dictators get it They live high on our TAX Money. NOT RIGHT !!!!! Use that money to take care of Americans.
Why send any country a single nickel? That is our tax dollars. We need every nickel and every dime right here at home.
and we just added more than 660,000 the the US welfare system since Jan…at the cost of 126 BILLION dollars….
Just this morning on “Fox and Friends” it was reported that we were approving hundreds of millions in aid because these Central American countries were now helping stop their outflow of incorrigibles being dumped into our country…. So which is correct?
MAGA!?
How about we put alligators in the water where they cross over
Whatever it takes.
Go President Donald Trump!! Line out a firing squad detail for ALL Senate and Congress members!! All need to go!! Permanently!
“…The Department of Homeland Security — burdened by regulations intended only for large-scale apprehensions of lone Mexican men — are buckling under the weight of the new migrant demographics.”
I’m sure that influx of illegals is being coordinated with the help of the traitorous dems.
No green card and it’s back you go.???enough of this dumocrat BS???
About time the Demorats do not care all they are looking for are the Illegals votes the Demorats will be the crooks they are and having them vote
WHY DON’T AOC AND OTHER MUSLIMS TAKE A TRIP TO THE BORDER. THEY TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY NEED AT THE BORDER GO SEE FOR YOURSELF THEN MAYBE TALK TO YOUR FELLOW DEMS ABOUT IT
Exactly! American’s first, and when every American problem is taken care of then we can help foreign countries, maybe.
Cut off the heads of the snakes from the US who aid and abet this process. These people seem healthy, good shoes, clothes and cell phones, and the ability to make the trek. Of course, leaving the old folks at home to fend for themselves and die.
Now hordes from Africa who have “spent their life savings” to get to the USA.” Who does Soros and his fellow snakes trying they’re kidding? Apparently the MSM and fellow travelers.
“I have a pen and a phone”, time the Repubs pulled the same bs the socialist democrat party pulls.
How reassuring to know that the United States of America comes FIRST with the man we elected President of the United States !
That has not always been true, sadly.
Give that money to the border patrol.
Yep. Because we already have 90% of Mexico’s residents here!
Don’t wait for Congress. Take the money NOW and put it toward the wall NOW. Talk happened THREE MONTHS AGO. How many more thousands have entered our country since then? I never counted to “three” when threatening punishment to our children. If they hadn’t obeyed before I reached the end of ONE, punishment was already in the making, then performed! Guess what? We have very well behaved young adults now. It’s time to stop counting to THREE on this immigration issue. JUST DO IT!
my question is , why are we sending our tax money to any other country? screw them
either build the wall, or send in troops and take over mexico
The entire border crisis is the creation of President Barack Hussein Obama who was not an American, and manipulated by globalists to be the president of USA. He and his cohorts of immoral and unpatriotic Democrat politicians are responsible dangerous border crisis
WE THE PEOPLE, the patriotic Americans that voted in our president, back him ALL THE WAY, on his immigration decisions!! HIT THESE COUNTRIES WHERE IT HURTS…..IN THE POCKETBOOK!!!
Good move. If we have to support their citizens here why should we continue to support their home country?
Those 3 Countries ARE where most of the illegals are coming from ! WHY give money to those Countries at all ? Where does all that money go ?
Trump is the only President who has tried to do somethig about the illegal immigrants and their invasion. He gets no help from Democrats and kitke from his own party. Liberlas are busy showering all kinds of benefits on illegals who are NOT coming to work but for the “free ride “
Thank God for a president with common sense and love for the USA and its citizens. Whatever his human failings, President Trump makes the hard decisions that are best for us and for our relationships with the rest of the world as well.