US developing asylum agreement with El Salvador: Report

By Diyar Guldogan

WASHINGTON (AA) – The new US administration is working on an asylum agreement with El Salvador to depart migrants to the small Central American country, CBS News reported on Sunday.

Citing two sources familiar with the matter, the report said the arrangement, known as a “safe third country” agreement, would empower the US to deport non-Salvadoran migrants to the country, blocking them from requesting asylum in the US.

Instead, the migrants would be deported with instructions to seek asylum in El Salvador, which would be designated a "safe third country," according to CBS News.

Similar proposals for both the UK and Italy have drawn fierce opposition and court challenges.

After being sworn in for a return second term on Monday, President Donald Trump signed a raft of new orders that seek to crack down on migration, including declaring a national emergency at the US-Mexican border.

Last week, Trump had a phone call with El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele to discuss cooperation on stopping illegal immigration and crack down on transnational gangs like Tren de Aragua.

New Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set this week to travel to five countries in Central America, including El Salvador, for his first trip abroad as the top US diplomat. He is expected to likely focus on curbing illegal immigration to the US from these countries.