As part of the Biden government’s aim to minimize migration, Vice President Kamala Harris expects to unveil over $2 billion in private investment aimed at three Central American countries, more than doubling the previously disclosed promises.
Migration Census In America
- The top migration locations are the Carolinas, Tennessee, Florida, Arizona, and Texas.
- The top five states for departures (Illinois, California, New Jersey, Michigan, and New York) are among the top 20 most heavily packed states in the US.
- In 2021, around 20% more Americans will relocate than in 2020.
- In 2021, new remote work opportunities allowed 14-23 million Americans to relocate.
- Cost of living, closeness to family, and career freedom are the top three reasons for moving in 2021.
Since Harris began recruiting corporations last year, the new investment from private industry has promised to be worth $3.2 billion, and it comes as the government faces problems dealing with the governments of El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala, as well as those countries continuing as migrant workers, proceed north.
Also Read: High Gas And Oil Prices Causing Problems For Consumers And Business
Gap Inc. has committed $150 million to expand its supply in Central America in order to promote more manufacturing employment. SanMar, a clothing firm will contribute an additional $500 million to the region, resulting in the creation of 4,000 new employees. Millicom, a telecommunications corporation, is investing $700 million in the region to expand broadband networks. Visa will also invest $270 million in the area to improve its digital infrastructure.
The investments, which will be revealed in Los Angeles on Tuesday ahead of the Summit of the Americas, increase the total private-sector commitments to $3.2 billion since Harris was tasked with tackling the core reasons for migration from the Northern Triangle region last year.
On a conference call, a senior administration official said, “The vice president feels that we need to cover the complete spectrum of needs and support individuals in the various areas of their lives, not simply offer them a job.” “And that’s what this initiative is all about: assisting folks in moving up the pyramid by providing access to information technology, banking systems, and infrastructure that contribute to a good ecology.”
In March 2021, President Biden said that Harris would be in charge of addressing the core causes of migration, which helped drive record numbers of individuals to the US-Mexico border last year.
Harris has since traveled to Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico, as well as the southern United States. She has also enlisted the help of the corporate sector to expand economic opportunities. In recent years, millions of individuals have fled the Northern Triangle due to violence and a lack of financial security, hoping to pursue a better life in the United States.
More Read: Understanding Smart Switches: A Two-minute Read
Harris will visit the Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles this week, where she will speak with other leaders to discuss topics such as migration, climate change, and boosting women-owned companies. Biden and other invited guests are set to sign a joint declaration pledging to discuss migration.
Harris is aiming to make improvements in her highest-profile abroad job — migration from northern Central America — by discussing its core causes at this week’s Summit of the Americas gathering in Los Angeles. However, a boycott organized by Mexican President Andres Manuel López Obrador over the move to dismiss the leaders of Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua has supported the summit. On Monday, a senior government official raised doubts about whether Honduran, Salvadoran, or Guatemalan leaders would join the boycott, but emphasized that the US could work efficiently with lower-level representatives.
“It’s a call for him,” said the official, who spoke to reporters on the asked to remain anonymous about Harris’ work. “Some have stated that they would not attend, but others have stated that they will send delegations.” As a result, we regard them to be conference participants.”
Last year, Harris began requesting private sector investment with the assumption that if people had jobs, security, and safety, they would not attempt to flee their nation. Government corruption, poverty, mass violence, natural calamities, and plagues spread in all three countries.
The latest pledges come from ten corporations, including Gap Inc., a clothing company, and Millicom, a telecommunications company that says it would spend $700 million to maintain and promote mobile and broadband infrastructure in the three countries.
“Harris also intends to launch a women’s empowerment program that will connect 1.4 million women to the banking system and the digital economy, as well as train 500,000 women and girls in job skills.” She will also launch a $50 million US Agency for International Development-funded “Central American Service Corps” that will provide paid community work to younger generations.
Harris’ position in tackling the core reasons for Central American migration has been politically risky, both in the United States and in the nations participating. Only two of the three nations have been toured, and some observers view this sporadic involvement as a symptom of bilateralism.
Also: What Is Jury’s Decision Decision In Amber Heard vs Johnny Depp Case?