U.S. Disastrous Decision to End Participation in the Global Compact on Migration

The U.S. decision to end its participation in the effort to develop a Global Compact on Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration is irresponsible and will limit U.S. capacity to influence a critical international discussion. This Compact process is an effort to reach agreement on voluntary measures to more effectively prevent unsafe and irregular migration that challenges governments and has resulted in enormous human suffering and loss of life in the Mediterranean, northern Africa, at the U.S. border, and elsewhere. 

The United States has every interest in participating and even leading the discussion among governments on approaches to deal with these challenges. By asserting in its statement that “we will decide how best to control our borders,” the Trump Administration provides the textbook definition of a straw man, misrepresenting the Compact process in order to discredit it. There is no suggestion that this process will prevent governments from determining their own immigration policies. This is a regrettable abdication of U.S. leadership.