Mexico To Pay $1.5B For US Border Security Upgrades

ABC News reports that Mexico and the U.S. are teaming up to revamp border security.

Mexico is going to contributing $1.5 Billion to the United States’ effort to streamline and improve border security crossings. The figures are according to an insider with knowledge of the situation.

The $1.5 Billion infrastructure agreement will coincide with the countries’ presidents’ efforts to complete “a multi-year, joint, U.S.-Mexico border infrastructure modernization effort for projects along the 2,000-mile border.”

The Mexican Border Funding Comes From Both Countries

United States President Joe Biden and Mexico’s President Andrés Manuel López Obrador had a meeting to discuss plans to invest in border infrastructure.

A recent infrastructure law was passed by Congress with bipartisan support. That law sets aside $3.4 Billion for border security and processing. The intention is “to make our border safer and more efficient for people, trade and commerce.”

Biden also publicly praised President Andrés Manuel López Obrador for holding his end of the infrastructure agreement. The leaders of both countries were encouraged following the meeting.

“As I told you from the beginning, and I mean it, I see, we see Mexico as an equal partner,” said Biden. “Our nations share close ties in family and friendship, and we’re united through our values and our history. And for me and my administration, the U.S.-Mexico relationship is vital to achieving our goals of everything from the fight against COVID-19, to continuing to grow our economies, to strengthening our partnerships and addressing migration as a shared hemispheric challenge…

“And Mr. President,” continued Biden, “This is a relationship that directly impacts the daily lives… of our people. And despite the overhyped headlines that we sometimes see, you and I have a strong and productive relationship.”

Processing Times Are Slow, Widely Considered “Inhumane”

Just last month, the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that the Biden administration could end Trump’s Remain in Mexico policy. Biden called the policy “inhumane” because it forced migrants to stay in Mexico during their lengthy processing times.

According to Human Rights First, the conditions have been deteriorating. The group has placed its estimate at nearly 1,500 migrants forced to remain in Mexico.

The infrastructure agreement and Mexico-U.S. partnership will hopefully reduce wait times for migrants. The partnership also helps ensure a more organized and humane process. It also signifies a stark change from the Trump administration. The previous group made a declaration that it would force Mexico to pay for the border wall.

This initiative may be the first in a series of attempts to both secure the boarder as well as expedite and improve the immigration process.