Trump Follows Through On Warning, Orders Aid To Be Cut Off From Central American Countries

The State Department announced on Saturday that it was cutting off aid to the Central American countries of El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala, home to the thousands of immigrants attempting to reach the U.S. illegally.

“At the Secretary’s instruction, we are carrying out the President’s direction and ending FY 2017 and FY 2018 foreign assistance programs for the Northern Triangle,” a spokesman with the State Department stated. “We will be engaging Congress as part of this process.”

The State Department acknowledged that it will need to “engage Congress in the process,” meaning it must win the approval of lawmakers before withholding the estimated $700 million in aid that would otherwise be given to the three Central American countries.

The announcement comes at a time when the U.S. southern border is witnessing a record volume of illegal immigration.

The Department of Homeland Security apprehended 50,000 to 60,000 illegal migrants a month in late 2018. Over  75,000 apprehensions and encounters were made in February — the highest number in over a decade. DHS estimates March to be another record-breaker, with apprehensions expected to near 100,000. March already experienced back-to-back records in single-day apprehensions.

Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen has described the situation on the U.S.-Mexico border as a “humanitarian and security catastrophe.”

The State Department’s announcement to withhold funds follows President Donald Trump’s own warning to Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador.

“Mexico is doing NOTHING to help stop the flow of illegal immigrants to our Country. They are all talk and no action. Likewise, Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador have taken our money for years, and do Nothing. The Dems don’t care, such BAD laws. May close the Southern Border!” President Donald Trump tweeted on Thursday.

The president is warning that there is a “very good likelihood” that he will also close the southern border if Mexico continues to allow immigrants to pass through its country and into the U.S.

Should Congress approve and the U.S. cuts financial aid to the Northern Triangle counties, there still remains strong incentives for their governments to still allow their citizens to reach the U.S interior.

Immigrants from Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras sent back a record $120 billion in remittances this decade, according to an immigration expert using U.N. and Latin American banking statistics. The numbers are expected to keep climbing, with immigrants from these three countries having sent $17 billion in 2018 alone.

The billions in remittances — money sent to the home countries of immigrants living and working in the U.S — completely eclipses the $700 million in American government aid.

Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org

Jason Hopkins

Share
Published by
Jason Hopkins

Recent Posts

President Donald Trump’s Schedule for Wednesday, June 4, 2025

Schedule Summary: President Donald Trump will receive a briefing, sign some proclamations, and participate in…

53 minutes ago

Too Late: WaPo Apologizes For Publishing Hamas Propaganda At Face Value

The Washington Post issued a correction Tuesday, saying it published an article that failed to…

3 hours ago

Elon Musk Finally Shares His True Feelings About Big, Beautiful Bill

Elon Musk sharply criticized President Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” incorporating vast swathes of his…

3 hours ago

Trump Says New Iran Deal Will Not Allow Uranium Enrichment, Contradicting Reports

President Donald Trump said Monday night his administration’s new Iran nuclear deal would not include…

3 hours ago

No, SCOTUS, The Federal Reserve Isn’t An ‘Independent Agency’

The Supreme Court was surely correct in its recent majority decision acknowledging President Trump acted…

3 hours ago

President Autopen

The Autopen scandal raises many questions: Who was running the country? Are all the pardons…

3 hours ago