House Democrats Introduce Legislation to Address Central American Violence and Protect Refugees

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Reps. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) and Eliot L. Engel (D-N.Y.) introduced legislation to provide a coordinated regional response to address root causes of Central American violence driving the migration of women and children.

The Secure the Northern Triangle Act, a House companion to legislation introduced last month by Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid, authorizes critical foreign assistance to restore the rule of law and address Central American violence and instability, provides for refugee processing in the region, and orderly and humane screening of individuals who reach the U.S.-Mexico Border seeking protection. It also cracks down on smugglers, cartels and traffickers exploiting children and families.

"Central American refugees, particularly mothers and children, should be able to live free from an endless cycle of violence and persecution," said Lofgren. "An enforcement-only focus on family detention, deterrence, arrests, and deportations has proven ineffective. It's time we reevaluate our response to this crisis and start working towards a solution that provides a practical, humane, and regional solution to the root causes of violence in the Northern Triangle region."

"My heart breaks for vulnerable people forced to make the dangerous journey through Central America to our southern border. We need to ensure that desperate people arriving here are treated with dignity and care. At the same time, we need to take a hard look at what's forcing these people to flee their communities in the first place," said Engel. "So I'm proud to join Representative Lofgren in offering this measure. Our bill works to address the root causes of violence and poverty in the Northern Triangle by authorizing key foreign assistance to the region, provides protections for those who have been forced to flee their homes, and goes after the criminal networks responsible for the problems."

The Secure the Northern Triangle Act:

• Addresses the root causes of the violence and instability that are driving migration.

El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras are among the most dangerous countries in the world, especially for women and children. Their populations face unrelenting and increasing violence, including murder and rape, perpetrated by armed criminal gangs and drug traffickers that act with impunity. The legislation creates a more secure environment for children and families; strengthen democratic public institutions and reduce corruption; and promote economic opportunities. This funding is conditioned on the State Department certifying that the governments are implementing reforms and makings progress on critical priorities.

• Cracks down on smugglers, cartels, and traffickers exploiting children and families.

Smuggling and trafficking rings exploit the desperation of those seeking protection. The legislation creates new criminal penalties for human smuggling, schemes to defraud immigrants, and bulk cash smuggling. It also expands the work by the Department of Homeland Security and law enforcement agencies to disrupt and prosecute smuggling and trafficking rings.

• Establishes a regional framework for refugee protection.

Due to ongoing, rampant violence in the region, women and children are fleeing their countries in search of protection. The legislation helps Mexico and other Central American countries to strengthen their own asylum systems, expands refugee processing for third-country resettlement and expands the Central American Minors program to provide women and children an alternative to making the dangerous journey north.

• Ensures safety of unaccompanied children after they are processed at the border.

The legislation strengthens the Department of Health and Human Services' ability to oversee the safety and wellbeing of children released to an adult sponsor while they await their court hearing by requiring consistent, uniform and timely background checks, post-placement wellness checks and post-release services. The bill also provides resources and guidance to local school districts enrolling unaccompanied children.

• Ensures fair, orderly and efficient processing of those who do reach our border seeking protection.

The United States has a long tradition of standing up for refugees around the world. We have the capacity and responsibility to do so now with those fleeing increasing violence in our own hemisphere. The legislation provides a fair legal process for children and families seeking asylum, improves immigration court efficiencies by requiring a significant increase in the number of immigration judges to ensure the prompt resolution of immigration claims, and establishes re-integration programs in the region that reduce the likelihood of re-migration for those who do not have legal grounds to stay in the United States.

Original cosponsors include: U.S. Reps. Steny Hoyer (D-M.D.), John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.), Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), Theodore E. Deutch (D-Fla.), Luis V. Gutiérrez (D-Ill.), Norma J. Torres (D-Calif.), Xavier Becerra (D-Calif.), Joaquin Castro (D-Texas), James P. McGovern (D-Mass.), Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-Calif.), Albio Sires (D-N.J.), and Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.).

Section by section summary and full bill text found here.

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