Washington (CNN) The US and El Salvador signed an agreement on Friday that could prevent some asylum seekers from seeking refuge in the US, but that overall is designed to curb illegal migration by increasing security and economic opportunity in El Salvador, according to acting Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan and El Salvadoran Foreign Minister Alexandra Hill Tinoco.

The deal, which aims to recognize and build El Salvador's asylum system, could allow the US to send some asylum seekers back to El Salvador if they didn't first claim asylum when passing through the country, an administration official said.

It comes amid an ongoing push by the Trump administration to limit access to asylum in the US, and as the US has pushed for similar agreements with other countries in the region. Earlier this month, the Supreme Court cleared the way for the Trump administration's rule that dramatically limits the ability of Central American migrants to claim asylum in the US.

McAleenan, who signed the agreement alongside Hill, said, "That is one potential use of the agreement that individuals crossing through El Salvador should be able to seek protections there and we want to be able to enforce the integrity of that process throughout the region," but emphasized the core of the deal is "recognizing El Salvador's development of their own asylum system."

A copy of the agreement was not immediately made available. Neither McAleenan nor Hill provided details on timing for implementation.

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