Volume 6
der. In the first 10 days of this operation, conducted
last month, we made 30 criminal arrests and 19
administrative arrests of smugglers for immigration
violations.
In May, I visited Central America for the third time in
two years. We are cognizant that conditions in Central America push many to flee the region in search
of a better life in the United States. We recognize
the need to provide a safe alternative path to our
country, and that many from the region should be
regarded as refugees. Through our Central American Minors program, the U.S. Government continues to offer in-country processing in Honduras,
El Salvador, and Guatemala for the protection of
minors with a parent lawfully present in the United
States. To date, we have accepted applications
from 9,216 individuals and have approved 2,297 of
these applications for refugee resettlement or parole. We are expanding other alternative paths to
the United States for those who qualify for protection under our immigration laws.
We also recognize that the ultimate solution is a
long-term investment in Central America, to address underlying conditions there. We are please