US embassy cable - 05SANSALVADOR2771

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