President Trump urged the United Nations to help curtail illegal migration from across the Western Hemisphere and defeat the networks that enable it.
“Today, we must resolve to work together to end human smuggling, end human trafficking, and put these criminal networks out of business for good,” the president said in an address to the United Nations General Assembly on September 24.
Trump emphasized that mass illegal migration results in dire, perilous circumstances for all parties involved — especially women and children who make the journey across Central America to the U.S. border.
“Please hear these words: Do not pay the smugglers. Do not pay the coyotes. Do not put yourself in danger. Do not put your children in danger,” Trump said.
The United States is working closely with Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and Panama “to uphold the integrity of borders and ensure safety and prosperity” for all countries in the region.
To this end, Trump said the United States will assist Central and South American countries in creating opportunities for all generations, focusing specifically on the youth.
“Our goal is to help people invest in the bright futures of their own nation,” the president concluded. “Our region is full of such incredible promise: dreams waiting to be built.”
