The United States is considering rechanneling would-be migrants from Latin American, which have their hopes set on finding their way across the US’s southern border, to Greece and Italy, according to an exclusive report broadcast by major media outlet CBS News. The information has not yet been independently confirmed nor denied by Greek authorities.

According to the report, the US has established four migration processing centers outside of the United States, in an effort to stem the flow of migrants to the country, as well as to open pathways of controlled migration to the United States and to other countries.

The CBS report mentions that the discussions between the Biden administration and Greece and Italy are fueled by demographic challenges and labor shortages in the latter two southern European states.

Although not confirmed, in theory, a bilateral agreement between Athens and Washington isn’t such a remote prospect, as the current Greek government has already entered into bilateral agreements with other non-EU countries in an attempt to address labor shortages in the east Mediterranean country, especially in the agriculture, building and tourism sectors.

The approach is also aligned with the European Union’s broader strategy to combat irregular migration, fill empty jobs and ease pressures from an aging population by opening up legal migration pathways.

According to the CBS report, which cites anonymous sources, as it states, “…the initiative would involve Greece and Italy welcoming migrants processed at immigration offices that the Biden administration set up last year in four Latin American countries to screen migrants who hope to reach the U.S…”

Additionally, the report published on May 30th states:

“On May 20, U.S. officials met with diplomats from Canada, Italy, Spain and the countries hosting the Safe Mobility Offices to discuss the initiative, according to internal Department of Homeland Security documents. In an interview with CBS News last week, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas appeared to reference the agreement with Greece.

‘We work with Canada, Spain, and just recently, Greece, to build lawful pathways for individuals to arrive in their countries, out of the hands of smugglers who just seek to exploit these individuals for profit,’ Mayorkas said.

Representatives for the Greek and Italian governments did not respond to requests for comment.”

The information comes admits reports by Reuters that President Biden plans on signing an executive order on migration next week that may terminate asylum requests and deny migrants entrance to the US if quotas have been met, in a bid to better manage migration flows at the U.S. southern border with Mexico.

Updated at 12:53 to include link to CBS Exclusive report video on youtube

Updated at 13:51 to include excerpt from CBS article, published May 30, quoting Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.