Washington (CNN)The Biden administration is outlining its "hard-nosed approach" for tackling root causes of migration in Central America, but nearly two months after Vice President Kamala Harris made a trip to the region, its plan is short on new details.
Senior administration officials on Wednesday broadly outlined the pillars of the Biden administration's plan, including addressing economic insecurity and inequality, combating corruption, promoting respect for human rights, countering and preventing violence, and tackling sexual, gender-based and domestic violence.
"For this strategy to be successful, we will have to undertake sustained effort, which is both hard work over time, but also a very hard-nosed approach to having an impact on the ground for the people of the region who are suffering so badly," an official said, conceding that it will be a long-term effort.
The administration's outline of its approach comes after an increase in migrants crossing the US-Mexico border became a political liability earlier this year, overwhelming border facilities and making headlines for poor conditions. The severity of the situation prompted President Joe Biden in late March to tap Harris to oversee efforts with Central American countries to stem the flow of migrants to the US southern border, mimicking Biden's own efforts in 2014 and 2015.