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Mexico’s disheartening immigration policy

For decades, the U.S. mistreated and deported Mexican immigrants who tried to cross the border

In 2019, Mexico adhered to the U.S. migration policy that focuses on halting migration - Photo: Rodrigo Abed/AP
08/01/2020 |09:06
Redacción El Universal
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What seemed to be the aim of Mexico’s policy, which prevailed in 2019 , was confirmed by the yesterday.

The deportation of , especially those from , increased by 11% in 2019; this means Mexico deported 49,000 Central Americans in 2019. That same year, the deportation of Salvadorans and Hondurans also increased by 39% and 40%.

Last year, Mexico adhered to the U.S. migration policy that focuses on from Central American countries and deployed officers to its borders , in order to prevent the immigrants from crossing into the U.S.

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Although immigration should be carried out in an orderly manner, Mexico is now adopting the same harsh measures it criticized years ago when undocumented immigrants from Mexico crossed into the U.S., including the implementation of , where there is no medical attention and food is scarce, as well as deportation .

For Mexico, immigration is a perplex issue: Be intolerant towards and deport them, the same was the U.S. has treated Mexican immigrants? Or how to protect them with resources that are not enough to help Mexicans? No choice will be universally praised and accepted. Perhaps this is why the Mexican government decided to promote the development of Central America through financial aid, although the results are not evident yet. However, the U.S. has yet to implement similar programs in Guatemala , El Salvador , and Honduras .

Moreover, deportations are surrounded by injustice . The most recent case is Rocío Rebollar , a 50-year-old Mexican, who spent the last 31 years in the U.S. and who was recently deported , even when she is a businesswoman and her son is a lieutenant in the U.S. army.

Although Mexico can’t host and welcome all , the government has to treat the Central Americans with respect, it’s the least it can do.

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