The U.S. Department of State referred to the crisis at the U.S. southern border as “irregular migration” in a Tuesday statement applauding Vice President Kamala Harris’ “leadership”.
“President Biden and Vice President Harris have set out an ambitious, multi-pronged approach to address the root causes of irregular migration,” the statement reads.
Yesterday, @VP announced increased assistance to improve conditions and provide life-saving humanitarian aid in Central America. We are implementing @POTUS Biden’s comprehensive approach, restoring core American values and our role as a reliable partner in the region.
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) April 27, 2021
Harris held a virtual meeting Monday with Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei, where she emphasized the importance of addressing the “root causes” of illegal immigration to the U.S.
Following the meeting, Harris unveiled an additional $310 million in aid to Central American countries, where many of the immigrants crossing the border originate from, according to Reuters.
“Our humanitarian assistance will meet the immediate needs of people forced to flee their homes in pursuit of safety, including refugees and other displaced people,” the Tuesday statement reads. “[I]t will support shelter and other safe spaces, work to reunite families, promote migrant and refugee integration into host communities.”
The U.S. Department of State’s choice of words aligns with President Joe Biden’s administration’s long adopted stance on the border crisis. (RELATED: Politico Instructs ‘Relevant’ Staffers Not To Refer To Border Surge As A ‘Crisis’)
Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, for example, refused to call the situation at the border a “crisis” during a House hearing in March. White House press secretary Jen Psaki has also repeatedly avoided using the word “crisis” when characterizing the situation.
Biden did call it a crisis once during an April 17 speech. However, the White House walked back the president’s comments two days later, saying there was “no change in position.”