With migration from Latin America dominating headlines and political talking points, it’s easy to lose sight of a simple truth: economic growth is the most powerful force for long-term regional stability. The United States has a chance right now to support cooperative governments like El Salvador’s in ways that advance U.S. economic interests, address root causes of irregular migration, and strengthen critical industries at home – not by reinventing the wheel, but by building on what already works.

One example is the El Salvador Economic Competitiveness Program (ECP), funded by the United States and implemented by Palladium. ECP worked closely with President Bukele’s administration to create direct and legal paths for Salvadorans to fill seasonal jobs in the U.S. through the H-2 visa program. The project worked by both improving El Salvador’s capacity to identify, recruit, and conduct background checks on Salvadorans willing to work legally and by partnering with U.S. businesses in need of vetted and capable labor during peak periods.

In 2023 alone, 395 U.S. companies benefited from the support, generating an estimated $168 million in additional revenue in the U.S. economy. This kind of targeted, cooperative effort reduces illegal immigration and boosts U.S. economic productivity. It’s a win-win.

The program’s successor, Roots for Prosperity (R4P), was designed to carry on and scale those efforts. As the Trump Administration finalizes its review of programs to ensure alignment with U.S. foreign policy objectives, R4P provides a ready platform to strengthen the U.S. partnership with El Salvador and cooperate on issues of mutual interest and benefit.

R4P is foreign assistance at its best: effective, immediate, and aligned with American economic and security goals. It makes America safer by reducing irregular migration, stronger by supplying U.S. industries with workers, and more prosperous by creating new channels for trade and investment.

The United States doesn’t need to start from scratch as it turns toward a more America-focused approach to foreign assistance and cooperation. We still have access to tested, proven platforms like R4P that can begin having an impact right away and adapt as policy needs require. What’s needed now is the political will to reinvest in them. Legal immigration pathways aren’t just humanitarian solutions – they’re economic necessities. And we already know how to make them work.

Dennis Hall is Partner for Economic Growth in the Americas. Contact info@thepalladiumgroup.com to learn more.