Refugees International Appalled by U.S.-Guatemala “Safe Third Country” Asylum Pact

In response to news reports that the United States and Guatemala had reached some form of “safe third country” agreement, Refugees International President Eric Schwartz issued the following statement:

Today’s announcement that the Trump Administration has reached a “safe third country” agreement with Guatemala is very alarming. As Refugees International has previously stated, Guatemala is in no way safe for refugees and asylum seekers, and all the strong-arming in the world won’t make it so. This agreement also violates U.S. law and will put some of the most vulnerable people in Central America in grave danger. At the moment, it is not clear exactly what arrangement has been reached in light of the Guatemalan Constitutional Court’s provisional decision against a third country agreement. But the president’s statements on this are of the deepest concern. Such an arrangement would make a mockery of the notion that those fleeing persecution in Central America have any recourse.

For press inquiries, please contact Chris Allbritton at chris@refugeesinternational.org or +1 305 741 9886.