Who crosses Mexico? Mexico’s sun

The phenomenon of migration between the southern and northern borders of our country is not a strange event, but it has existed historically, but, in particular, the mobilization of citizens towards the border with the United States has been a transcendent issue in bilateral relations. centuries ago.

However, it is not a static phenomenon, as Mexico has gone from being a country of expulsion, to a transit and receiving area for immigrants of very diverse nationalities.

Immigration from Central America has been added to the mobilization of citizens towards the United States since the seventies, for reasons related to insecurity and lack of social and economic opportunities, especially in Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, which are reasons that have increased in the context of the epidemic and that. They forced people to leave their countries of origin.

At the moment, the formation of the phenomenon of migrants crossing Mexican territory hints at a new scheme that shows a marked increase in the number of people from the Caribbean, especially of Haitian and Cuban origin (between January and July of this year, the US authorities reported 155,000 people. Meetings with Cuban citizens who entered across the border with Mexico: six times as much as in the same period in 2021); From South America, highlighting the Venezuelan and Colombian populations, and beyond the continents, from Africa.

Likewise, the demographic characteristics of immigrants crossing Mexican territory have also changed, moving from young people of the age of maximum economic productivity to families, women, and minors traveling unaccompanied.

In other words, with regard to those who cross its territory, Mexico is undergoing a radical change in all respects, a transformation that is progressing much faster than it can be managed in an orderly, safe and orderly manner.

The frequent departures of migrant caravans from our southern borders, the rescue of mobile people caught in the hands of human traffickers or the mishaps caused by this phenomenon are also events that can be normalized, if actions and responses from different fronts are not applied.

Added to this is the implementation of many US immigration policies – such as Section 42 or the recently revoked residency in Mexico – without forgetting that the immigration reform promised by the administration of President Joe Biden is not progressing as required, but because, on the contrary, it is contributing In the increase in the number of people and nationalities that converge in the border cities of both countries.

This in turn makes the application of border policy complicated; For example, Title 42 limits the nationalities that can be expelled and returned, which indicates that the immigration system in the US Federation also needs to be overhauled. For the Mexican government, for its part, this translates into the complexity of being the third country in the world with the largest number of asylum seekers.

It is clear that migration exceeds any expected estimate in the short, medium or long term; Hence the importance of giving the importance it requires for the care of families, women, men and minors – with or without company – regardless of their country of origin. Otherwise, it will still be an issue that attracts and differentiates, but does not have a budget for specific sponsorship programs.

The goal remains to achieve safe, orderly and regular migration, leaving behind a restrictive and strict immigration system. Just as we demand dignified treatment for the more than 11 million citizens who have immigrated, we are obligated to provide the same treatment to those who cross our country. Therefore, we must meet the political, legislative, logistical, multidimensional and ethical challenge of human mobility in search of well-being.

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