For Immediate Release
DHS Press Office
Contact: 202-282-8010
WASHINGTON — Yesterday, Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson and Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas met with European Union counterparts on the margins of the United States - European Union Justice and Home Affairs Ministerial meeting to discuss a range of shared security-related priorities, including foreign terrorist travel to and from Syria and counterterrorism efforts.
Secretary Johnson met with European Union Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs, and Citizenship Dimitris Avramopoulos to underscore the inextricable link between the security of the United States and that of our partners in the European Union. Secretary Johnson also highlighted the importance of global cooperation to effectively counter violent extremism and foreign terrorist travel, while facilitating lawful trade and travel that supports the global economy. Deputy Secretary Mayorkas met with EU Commissioner Avramopoulos as well as Italian and Latvian counterparts, representing the current and incoming EU Presidency, and other European Commission and European Council representatives.
To his counterparts, Secretary Johnson highlighted the importance of international collaboration on a wide-range of common homeland security-related issues, including counterterrorism, aviation security, collaboration in law enforcement, and information sharing. He discussed the recent enhancements to the Visa Waiver Program’s Electronic System for Travel Authorization announced last week. These enhancements are designed to address terrorism threats from overseas and provide added security for the continued facilitation of visa-free travel to the United States from our closest friends and allies.
The Department of Homeland Security is committed to engaging with our global friends and allies to ensure our collective security. This year, Secretary Johnson traveled to Poland to meet with his European counterparts and discuss common efforts to preventing foreign terrorist travel. Earlier this month, Deputy Secretary Mayorkas traveled to the United Kingdom and France to meet with international counterparts and discuss the shared concern of foreign terrorist travel to and from Syria and efforts to counter violent extremism.
For more information, visit www.dhs.gov.
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