The Mexican Consulate General in Atlanta has issued Mexico’s positions on immigration policy citing its “deep friendship and history” with the United States while the U.S. threatens to raise tariffs to block imports if it doesn’t curb the numbers of migrants entering the U.S.
“We wish our governments to remain friends and partners as well. We have faith in dialogue and politics as a means to avoid a costly and unnecessary confrontation,” according to the statement’s conclusion.
It also says that it has “faith in dialogue ad politics as a means to avoid a costly and unnecessary confrontation.”
Concerning the possibility of imposed U.S. tariffs, its statement says “slapping tariffs along with the decision to cancel aid programs in the Northern Central American countries could have a counterproductive effect and would not reduce migration flows.”
In addition, it says “tariffs could cause financial and economic instability, which means that Mexico could reduce its capacity to address migration flows and to offer alternatives to the new migrants who have recently arrived in the country.”
Concerning immigration control, the statement says that from December 2018 to May 2019, Mexico returned 80,537 individuals to their countries of origin, mainly Northern Central American countries.
The actions have been expensive for the country, according to the statement, because it provides migrants with shelter, meals, transportation and medical assistance.
It also is adapting its legal framework to offer regional cards to those who wish to stay or work in the southern U.S. states.
Concerning its efforts to curb criminal migrant smuggling organizations, it says that between December 2018 and May 2019, it has detained more than 400 individuals for criminal acts related to migrant smuggling.
Additionally, it says it has established new policies to reinforce control and security measures through “decisive actions to crack down on the illegal transportation of migrants through its territory.”
Concerning asylum, it has decided to allow entry to certain Central American migrants who have been returned from the U.S. On May 29, it accepted 8,835 returned migrants who are waiting for an asylum hearing in U.S. courts.
The statement also says that Mexico has an estimated 18,778 individuals waiting to present their asylum claims at a U.S. border port of entry.
Meanwhile, it says that it expects the number of migrants to reach more than 60,000 by the end of the year having in the first five months of 2019 accepted 24,451 individuals who have applied for refuge — two-thirds more than the total for 2018.
The statement also recommends accelerating the economic development and wellbeing of El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras to address the “root causes of migration and provide a comprehensive response to the surge.”
