US POLICY TOWARDS LATIN AMERICAN MIGRANTS: HUMAN RIGHTS VS. SECURITY*

ABSTRACT

The paper analyzes the transformation of the US migration policy towards Latin American and Caribbean immigrants and refugees. This policy is treated within the framework of the closeness/security – openness / fairness. Currently, the Mexican-American border has become the epicenter of the migration crisis. During the COVID-19 pandemic, sanitary measures reinforced negative trends in dealing with potential asylum seekers. A new feature of the crisis has become the descent diversity of migrants trying to cross the border barrier, it blurred the usual regional context of the problem and affected the nature of the border states migration policy. The article concludes that on the background of the acute migration crisis, the J.Biden administration's attempts to shift the regulatory measures towards liberalization and greater openness remained ineffective. © 2023, Iberoamerica (Russian Federation). All Rights Reserved.