Mubasher: The US and Mexico announced that they would cooperate with other Central American countries to reunite families separated at the US borders “as quickly as possible.”

US Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen met with Mexico’s Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray and ministers from other Central American countries in Guatemala City to engage in discussions over the separations and the ways to crack down on criminal cartels benefiting from migration.

“We remain very committed to re-unifying the families that have been separated as a result of illegal entry, and we will work with our colleagues here to repatriate as quickly as possible,” Nielsen told reporters at a news conference.

Mexico’s Videgaray, who reiterated his criticism to the White House’s “inhumane” policy towards migrants, made the same vow, as well as other ministers.

The announcement came after the US administration faced criticism over its “zero tolerance” policy in place since early May, as it pursued the prosecution of all adults who crossed the US-Mexico border illegally.

This culminated in the separation of over 2,300 children from their parents.

The ministerial meeting came as a judge ordered the US administration to rapidly reunite 63 children under the age of five, separated from their families by immigration officials after crossing the borders.