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(CNN) - The United States reached an asylum agreement with Honduras, the third such agreement with a Central American country in recent months.
If implemented, the agreement could allow the United States to return asylum seekers to Honduras to seek protection there first, according to a senior National Security Department official. Like the other agreements, it is also designed to improve the asylum system within Honduras.
Having these agreements in force, migrants who had the opportunity to seek protection in one of the three countries "will be returned from the US border to seek asylum or protection" in Honduras, El Salvador or Guatemala, according to the official.
"It will allow migrants to seek protection as close as possible to their home," the official said.
The United States reached an agreement with El Salvador last week and signed an agreement with Guatemala at the Oval Office in July.
The agreements have been rejected by immigrant advocacy groups who argue that they run the risk of putting migrants in danger.
The State Department's travel notice for Americans makes a warning against travel to Honduras "due to crimes."
"Violent crime, such as homicide and armed robbery, is common," says the warning. Violent gang activity, such as extortion, violent street crime, rape and trafficking of narcotics and people, is widespread. Local police and emergency services lack sufficient resources to respond effectively to serious crimes. ”
Earlier this summer, the president of Honduras, Juan Orlando Hernández, was accused of being related to a drug trafficking conspiracy with his brother, several media outlets reported at the time.
Hernandez denied the accusations.
The asylum agreements reached by the Trump administration "are parallel to each other and work similarly," but could differ in their implementation.
"We are working with all three (countries) on implementation," said the official, who said that each country needs to work through its national "legal processes" before taking effect.
Asylum