Trump admin declares new actions against Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador over illegal immigration

The State Department announced that foreign aid will be cut off from Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador if they did not take direct action to curtail illegal immigration to the United States.

State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus made the announcement to the media on Monday.

"As you know in March, the president concluded these countries have not effectively prevented illegal migrants from coming to the United States. At the secretary's instruction we continue to implement the president's direction regarding foreign assistance for El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras," Ortagus said.

"We completed a review. And previously awarded grants and contracts will continue with current funding," she continued.

"State Department assistance and supported priorities of the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security priorities to help the Northern Triangle governments take actions that will protect the U.S. border and counter transnational organized crime will also continue," Ortagus said.

"We will not provide new funds for those countries until we are satisfied the Northern Triangle governments are taking concrete actions to reduce the number of illegal migrants coming to the U.S. border," she added.

"Working with Congress, we will reprogram those funds to other priorities as appropriate," Ortagus said, "this is consistent with the president's direction and with the recognition that it is critical that there be sufficient political will in these countries to address the problem at its source."

Ortagus went on to quote State Secretary Mike Pompeo, concluding, "These nations have the responsibility to take care of the immigration problems in their home country."

The action follows the agreement between the U.S. and Mexico to increase border security after the president threatened to unilaterally increase trade tariffs on Mexico.

Here's the video of the announcement:

U.S. to Halt Foreign Aid to El Salvador, Guatemala & Honduras (C-SPAN)www.youtube.com