GOES, EMBASSY HOLD FIRST DEPORTATION WORKING GROUP

C O N F I D E N T I A L SAN SALVADOR 002771

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/07/2015
TAGS: PREL SMIG ASEC ES ACCELERATED DEPORTATION
SUBJECT: GOES, EMBASSY HOLD FIRST DEPORTATION WORKING GROUP
MEETING

REF: SALVADOR 2657

Classified By: CDA Michael A. Butler. Reasons 1.4 (b,d)..


1. (C) On October 6, the joint Embassy-GOES Working Group on
Accelerated Deportations held its first meeting at the
Ministry of Government (Gobernacion). The GOES delegation
was headed by Vice-Government Minister Rodrigo Avila, and
included MinGob Executive officer (and former Migration
Director) Wilfredo Rosales, new Migration Director Jorge
Santivanez, and MinGob Legal Adviser Juan Bacete. Post was
represented by Polcouns, A/CG, and ICE country
representative. GOES Ambassador to Washington Rene Leon, who
was in country on FoMin business, also joined the meeting.
Both Avila and Leon opened the meeting with a very positive
message affirming the GOES commitment to support the imminent
accelerated deportations. Avila affirmed that President Saca
has mandated that the GOES work with the USG on this issue,
and has gone as far as ordering the creation of a deportee
task force at MinGob, under Avila. Avila recognized that one
of the GOES's biggest concerns is that they are not
communicating well internally, and said that he and Leon
intended to improve communication between the FoMin and
MinGob, and to make the Salvadoran consulates more responsive
on deportations.


2. (C) Leon said that he will ask for postponement of a
meeting scheduled for October 11 between himself and Avila,
and WHA DAS Fisk, explaining that the natural disaster in El
Salvador has overtaken other key issues in the short term.
He added that he hoped the Fisk meeting could take place in
two to three weeks, and that he (Leon) wanted MinGob Figueroa
to be present at that meeting. Leon said that he would try
to schedule parallel meetings around the time of the Fisk
meeting with DHS, DOJ, and NSC principals, as well as with
WHA A/S Shannon. Both Leon and Avila stressed that the GOES
wants to move forward quickly on bilateral prisoner exchange
and extradition agreements, and that those issues would be at
the top of their Washington agenda. Avila stated that the
GOES's main concern is the impact in El Salvador of deported
gang members, especially those with violent backgrounds, and
violent criminals in general. In that regard, they stated
that the GOES is fully committed to working closely with USG
agencies to make this process as seamless as possible. The
Embassy-GOES working group agreed to meet again before the
GOES delegation goes to Washington. Avila committed to
sharing with the working group the GOES agenda for the trip,
including a non-paper containing a list of possible
"deliverables" to make the deportation process smooth.


3. (C) Avila shared the following ideas, some of which may
appear in the non-paper and may also be raised in Washington
meetings:

-- A pilot program designed to separate criminal from
non-criminal deportees in the JPAT flights;
-- DVC capability, paid for by the USG, to be used by GOES
consular/other officials for deportee interviews;
-- Creation of a GOES Interagency Deportation Unit, to
coordinate tasks among relevant GOES ministries and agencies;
-- USG support for biometric equipment and training, and
increased sharing of biometric and other information between
USG and GOES agencies, especially on gang members and violent
criminals;
-- Electronic delivery of prison and/or criminal records of
deportees, and/or delivery of biometric print records taken
by DHS.


4. (C) Comment: The GOES delegation came to the meeting well
prepared and appeared to have the full support of their
higher-ups, starting with President Saca. Avila's leadership
on this issue is key, since he is widely viewed as a rising
star in the government and has the full backing of Figueroa,
Saca's closest associate. Likewise, Leon's participation
will also be vital, especially in effecting much-needed
communication and cooperation between the consulates and
MinGob. From the enthusiasm at the meeting, we expect the
GOES will want to move quickly on a number of political
issues, like prisoner exchange and extradition treaties, as
well as on operational issues relating to the mechanics of
accelerated deportations.

Butler