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The US is working with Ecuador to establish offices aimed at assisting migrants in legally entering America, an initiative driven by the rise in illegal border crossings. These “Safe Mobility Offices,” according to the US Department of State, already function in Colombia, Costa Rica, and Guatemala, working to accelerate refugee applications and manage other humanitarian and employment permits.

The office in Ecuador will predominantly cater to asylum seekers from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, Venezuela, and Colombia, as the State Department detailed on its website. This strategy by President Joe Biden seeks to provide migrants with various legal avenues for entry. However, it simultaneously incorporates some of the stringent border measures reminiscent of those instituted by former President Donald Trump, like claiming asylum before traveling to the United States.

In the realm of immigration, the Biden administration further revealed its intentions to unveil a new process to reunify Ecuadorean nationals with family members in the US. As both Biden and Trump are considered primary contenders for the 2024 presidential race, immigration policies promise to be central to their campaigns.