Declaration on Migration, Protection signed as Summit of the Americas ends

LOS ANGELES - Leaders of 20 nations attending the Summit of the Americas Friday signed the "Los Angeles Declaration on Migration and Protection," described as a pact to pursue a "comprehensive" approach to addressing the crisis.

The introduction of the declaration states the agreement reiterates a collective will "to strengthen national, regional, and hemispheric efforts to create the conditions for safe, orderly, humane, and regular migration and to strengthen frameworks for international protection and cooperation."

The declaration highlights commitments to assist and promote stability in communities of destination, origin and transit of migrants; regular pathways for migration; management of "humane" migration; a "shared approach" to reducing and managing "irregular migration"; and ensuring coordinated emergency response to mass migration and refugee movements.

"With this declaration, we're transforming our approach to managing migration in the Americas," Biden said during the signing event. "Each of us - - each of us is signing up to commitments that recognizes the challenges we all share and the responsibility that impacts on all of our nations. And that, that will take all of our nations. ... I've learned by significant experience, it's going to take all of our nations working together in partnership to address this migration issue."

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He later added, "Unlawful migration is not acceptable, and we'll secure our borders, including through innovative, coordinated actions with our regional partners."

Following the signing ceremony, leaders from all nations attending the summit gathered for a "family photo," one of the last official proceedings of the event.

Biden on Friday also spoke at the Port of Los Angeles at the Battleship Iowa on inflation and the actions the administration has taken to lower prices and address supply chain challenges, and he hosted a "leaders retreat" and a luncheon with various summit delegates.

Biden was also set to attend a pair of Democratic National Committee fundraisers Friday night.

One of those gatherings will be at the home of Andrew Hauptman, chairman of Andell Holdings investment firm and a major Biden fundraiser. According to a statement on behalf of Hauptman, the event will raise nearly $2.5 million from roughly 30 donors for the DNC, with the money bound for various state democratic parties and grassroots infrastructure.

"With the Senate and House in play and so many other critical races this November up and down the ballot, we need to do all we can to support President Biden right now," Hauptman said in a statement.

Film producer Jeffrey Katzenberg is a co-chair of the event at Hauptman's home.

Biden is scheduled to leave Los Angeles Saturday, traveling to New Mexico to receive a wildfire briefing.

The Los Angeles gathering for the Summit of the Americas was the first time a U.S. city has hosted the event since 1994, when the inaugural conference was in Miami. Representatives from the Western Hemisphere began arriving Monday. The summit convenes once every three or four years.

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During the previous summit -- which was in Peru in 2018 -- the region's leaders committed to fighting corruption, according to the U.S. State Department.

In his Thursday afternoon speech at the opening plenary session at the Los Angeles Convention Center, Biden declared, "There is no reason why the Western Hemisphere can't be the most forward-looking, most democratic, most prosperous, most peaceful, secure region in the world. We have unlimited potential. We have enormous resources and a democratic spirit that stands for freedom and opportunity for everybody."

Earlier Thursday, speaking at the CEO Summit of the Americas gathering of business leaders at the Intercontinental Hotel, Biden challenged business leaders to join with Western Hemisphere nations to prepare the global economy for the coming decades through investments in supply chains, clean energy and the "digital future."

Biden said the "economy of the future" will depend on decisions made Friday.

"The economy of the future will increasingly belong to those who place a premium on resilience and reliability, who invest over the long term and strengthen supply chains now to mitigate the impact of future shocks before they hit," Biden told the gathering, which was sponsored by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and held in conjunction with the Summit of the Americas.

"Each of us -- the government and the private sector -- have a critical role to play," Biden said. "That's why I'm focused on driving economic policies that grow our economies from the bottom up and the middle out. Because quite frankly, when that works, everybody does well."

Biden also met with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Thursday, reviewing cooperative efforts between the nations on issues such as economic development, the COVID-19 pandemic, immigration and food insecurity.

The meeting was notably cordial, with Biden telling Trudeau, "We have no better friend in the whole world than Canada. And that's not hyperbole. That's real. And you're a good personal friend as well."

Biden also stopped by a meeting between Vice President Kamala Harris and leaders of Caribbean nations. The meeting focused on deepening the U.S.- Caribbean partnership, and Harris announced a partnership aimed at addressing the climate crisis.

Biden also met Thursday with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who was a supporter of former President Donald Trump and was initially hesitant to recognize Biden's election. Biden spoke cordially at the top of the meeting about his affection for the country, noting he has visited Brazil twice, including once during the 2014 World Cup.

Biden called Brazil a "wonderful place," and hailed its work to protect the Amazon.

Bolsonaro spoke more at length, saying the two nations "have a lot in common," including a love of freedom, democracy and shared values. He said the nation has "a huge interest in getting closer and closer to the U.S."

On Thursday night, Biden and first lady Jill Biden welcomed heads of state and government and their spouses for a dinner at the Getty Villa.