The asylum cooperation agreement (ACA) between the United States and the countries of Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador is a hotly debated issue in immigration policy. The agreement, signed in 2019 by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), aims to reduce the number of asylum seekers arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border by requiring them to first seek asylum in one of these three countries.

Under the ACA, the U.S. can send asylum seekers to any one of these three countries if they pass through them on their way to the U.S. border. The agreement also requires the participating countries to build up their own asylum systems to handle the increased demand. In return, the U.S. provides financial, technical, and training assistance.

The DHS argues that the ACA will reduce the number of asylum seekers arriving at the U.S. border and reduce the burden on the U.S. asylum system. Critics of the ACA argue that the agreement is a violation of international asylum law and that the three countries involved do not have adequate resources to handle the influx of asylum seekers.

Since the ACA`s implementation, the number of asylum seekers arriving at the U.S. border has decreased. However, this may be due to other factors, such as changes in U.S. immigration policy and increased border security measures.

In January 2021, the Biden administration announced that it would review the ACA and suspend its implementation while the review is underway. The administration has not yet announced whether it will continue with the agreement or terminate it.

Overall, the ACA remains a controversial and complex issue in U.S. immigration policy. Its impact on asylum seekers and the participating countries is still uncertain, and the future of the agreement remains uncertain under the new administration.