The State Department took to social media Tuesday to urge governments in the Western Hemisphere to "protect their borders" and "defend their citizens" against the effects of mass migration.
In a thread of posts on X, the department said that "[m]ass migration and the criminal networks that enable it" have "wrought havoc on America" before President Donald Trump returned to office and "secured the border."
"The State Department has now instructed U.S. embassies in countries in the Western Hemisphere to report on human rights abuses caused by mass migration," the post read.
According to the department, American embassies "will report on crimes resulting from mass migration and urge governments ... to combat these human rights abuses."
"Embassies will analyze government policies that facilitate mass migration or privilege migrants over citizens," the department said.
The Trump administration called on nations to "protect their borders and defend their citizens against the human rights abuses caused by mass migration."
"The United States stands ready to work alongside nations across the Western Hemisphere to end the global crisis of mass migration," the State Department wrote.
The posts come amid heightened friction between the United States and Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who has been digging in as the Trump administration continues to ratchet up its months-long pressure campaign to get him to step down.
The U.S. has destroyed more than 30 boats in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean in what it has described as a counter-narcotics campaign, and the president has ordered a blockade of sanctioned oil tankers bound for and leaving Venezuela.
The State Department posts also come as the Department of Homeland Security rolled out new immigration enforcement protocols and visa travel restrictions last week aimed at bolstering national security and streamlining border management.
In force as of Friday, the new DHS rules expand biometric screening at U.S. entry and exit points and subject green cards issued to nationals of 19 countries to tougher reviews.
Under the revised policy, U.S. Customs and Border Protection will now photograph all non-U.S. citizens — including lawful permanent residents — each time they enter or depart the United States.
The updated procedures eliminate previous exemptions that had allowed children under 14 and adults over 79 to bypass the biometric screening process.
CBP is also authorized to collect fingerprints and, when appropriate, iris scans, which can be matched against existing travel documents using the agency's Traveler Verification Service.
Supporters of the changes say the move brings U.S. border security into the modern era by closing loopholes, strengthening identity verification and using advanced technology to combat fraud, prevent visa overstays, and disrupt criminal networks.
Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
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