MIGRATION STRATEGY OF DONALD TRUMP’S ADMINISTRATIONS TOWARDS LATIN AMERICA

DOI 10.17721/2521-1706.2025.20.9

Kateryna Vakarchuk,

Ph. D. (Political Science), Associate Professor, Odesa I.I. Mechnikov National University, Odesa, Ukraine

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7352-5316

Volodymyr Dubovyk, Ph. D. (Political Science), Associate Professor, Senior Fellow, Center for European Policy Analysis, Washington, USA

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2340-9509

Abstract. The article analyzes the main directions of the United States’ migration strategy towards the countries of Latin America during the two administrations of President Donald J. Trump. It outlines the key forecasts and prospects for the implementation of new migration measures and examines their potential consequences for the region as a whole. The study reflects the reactions of Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, and a number of Central American republics to the new migration policy of the United States and assesses its broader implications for regional dynamics.

The primary goal of the research is to examine the migration strategy of President Donald J. Trump, to identify its influence, and to determine its consequences for the countries of Latin America, as well as for political and economic interaction between the United States and the region. In particular, the study explores the extent to which migration policy has been employed as a foreign policy tool and assesses its impact on U.S. relations with Latin American states within the broader framework of international relations.

The methodological framework of the research is based on the combination of political realism theory, an interdisciplinary approach, and discourse analysis. Political realism is applied as the key approach in the new migration strategy, emphasizing the protection of national security and the reduction of illegal migration flows to the United States. Discourse analysis made it possible to incorporate official speeches, analytical reviews, generalizations, and statistical data into the study, while the interdisciplinary approach ensured the involvement of various fields of knowledge related to this issue.

The scientific novelty of the study lies in the analysis of a new U.S. migration strategy towards the countries of Latin America, based on analytical data, reports, and official statements of state representatives over the last five years. The article also provides a comparative analysis of this strategy with the migration policies of previous U.S. administrations.

The article concludes that the U.S. migration strategy contributes to the search for alternatives to illegal migration in the countries of Latin America and to the development of multilateral cooperation in the region. At the same time, it marks a departure from previous policies aimed at long-term regional cooperation, reflecting a unilateral and security-driven approach focused exclusively on the national interests of the United States, which considers illegal immigration a threat to domestic order and national security. This reframing of migration from a humanitarian or economic issue into a matter of national security has also intensified challenges in relations with Latin American states, while still encouraging limited forms of multilateral cooperation.

Key words: migration strategy, security, national interests, U.S. foreign policy, Latin America, migration, international relations.

Submitted: 15.09.2025

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