SAN DIEGO (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris says efforts to address root causes of migration from Central America won't produce immediate results.
Harris unveiled Thursday a broad strategy that expands on principles the Biden administration has laid out before.
The plan supports short-term relief for migration pressures like extreme weather while also committing sustained attention to deeper motivations for people to leave their countries.
"The root causes must be addressed both in addition to relief efforts—and apart from these efforts," the vice president said. "In everything we do, we must target our efforts in those areas of highest out-migration—and ensure that these programs meet the highest standards of accountability and effectiveness.
Harris said Thursday the governments of Mexico, Japan and South Korea have committed to joining the push, along with the United Nations.
President Joe Biden's administration has struggled for short- and long-term responses.