The Trump administration is sending dozens of Homeland Security agents and investigators to Guatemala to help slow the surge of illegal immigrants from Central America, the Washington Post reported Friday.
The personnel will be “advisers” to Guatemala’s national police and migration authorities and try to stop human smuggling operations, the Post reported.
“Other areas of cooperation include increasing the security of the Guatemalan border to stem the flow of irregular migration while ensuring proper preparation to improve the ability of both countries to identify and better understand their root causes,” according to an agency statement, the Post reported.
In the past three months, the United States has apprehended more than 100,000 migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border, and illegal border crossings have surged to their highest levels in more than a decade.
But according to the Post, Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-Texas, said Guatemala’s ambassador to the United States, Manuel Espina, told him Guatemala would be happy to have U.S. troops help secure its northern border. Gonzalez even wrote a letter to Trump encouraging him to send military personnel.
“Guatemalan president Jimmy Morales has indicated that he would welcome the introduction of U.S. troops on Guatemala’s northern border,” Gonzalez wrote April 16, the Post reported. “If you want to see fewer apprehensions at the U.S.-Mexico border, I would strongly encourage you to seriously consider President Morales’ offer.”
Gonzalez said he believes sending 100 U.S. agents to Guatemala won’t be enough to quell the surge, the Post reported.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.