U.S. State Department Calls on Western Hemisphere Nations to ‘Defend Citizens’ Against Mass Migration Abuses

The U.S. State Department has instructed embassies in countries across the Western Hemisphere to report on human rights abuses caused by mass migration, urging nations to “protect their borders” and “defend their citizens” against the effects of such movements.

In a series of posts on X, the department highlighted that “mass migration and the criminal networks that enable it” have historically “wrought havoc on America” prior to President Donald Trump’s return to office and the implementation of border security measures. The department noted that U.S. embassies will now analyze government policies facilitating mass migration or privileging migrants over citizens, while reporting crimes linked to these movements.

The announcement follows heightened tensions between the United States and Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who has intensified his resistance to U.S. pressure to step down following months of economic sanctions targeting Venezuela’s oil sector. The U.S. has also conducted more than 30 counter-narcotics operations in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean, describing them as efforts to disrupt illicit trafficking.

Concurrently, the Department of Homeland Security enacted new immigration enforcement protocols effective Friday, expanding biometric screening requirements for all non-U.S. citizens at entry and exit points. Lawful permanent residents from 19 countries now face stricter reviews, including mandatory photography and potential fingerprint or iris scans to verify identity against existing travel documents.

The updated policies eliminate exemptions previously allowing children under 14 and adults over 79 to bypass biometric checks, aiming to enhance border security while addressing fraud and criminal networks. Supporters of the measures argue they modernize U.S. immigration enforcement by closing loopholes and streamlining compliance.