Refugees International Welcomes News of Canceled Trump-Morales Meeting

In response to news that the meeting between Guatemala President Jimmy Morales and U.S. President Donald Trump had been canceled pending the outcome of legal filings in Guatemala seeking to block any agreements that would designate Guatemala as a “safe third country,” Refugees International President Eric Schwartz issued the following statement.

We welcome news that the Monday meeting between President Morales and President Trump on a so-called safe third country agreement has been postponed, reportedly due to legal appeals and expressions of concern from within Guatemala. We welcome this development, as the proposed agreement is contrary to U.S. law and international refugee law and risks trapping thousands of Central American children, women, and men in dangerous situations. But it  is a sad day for the United States of America when vulnerable people have to rely on legal processes in a foreign country to help secure rights that the U.S. government so cavalierly disregards. We fear that the White House will continue to pursue this unconscionable initiative, and we and others will continue to resist efforts to secure such an agreement.

For press inquiries, please contact Chris Allbritton at chris@refugeesinternational.org.