Pakistan, June 27 -- GUATEMALA CITY - U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced Thursday that Guatemala and Honduras have signed new agreements to accept asylum-seekers from other nations, offering them protection outside the United States. She said the deals are part of efforts to expand U.S. options for relocating migrants and reducing pressure on its asylum system.
Noem stated that these agreements had been in the works for months, with the U.S. government pressing both Central American nations to finalize them. "We've never believed that the U.S. should be the only safe option," she said. "Refugees need safety, not necessarily within the United States."
However, the announcements were quickly met with denials. Guatemala's...