La Jornada – Tightening US Immigration Policy Negatively Affects Mexicans: CNDH

The tightening of the immigration policy of the United States government “has a negative impact on the protection of the human rights” of Mexican citizens living in that country, and although there are special agreements of understanding between the two countries regarding repatriation, they do not specify that the National Commission on Human Rights (CNDH) has warned ) Of the appropriate protocols to apply, which means leaving citizens without protection when they are returned to Mexico.

Through a special diagnosis on this topic, released tonight through social networks, the independent commission indicated that in 2004 the Memorandum of Understanding on the safe, orderly and dignified return of Mexican citizens was signed, but it “draws attention to the fact that the said agreement does not prescribe the protocols due. Followed “until basic guarantees for migrants are respected.

On the other hand, the National Council for Human Rights noted that the above-mentioned bilateral agreement does not sufficiently develop the necessary mechanisms to prohibit arbitrary arrests and discriminatory acts, nor does it specify how the right to obtain legal advice and defense, the establishment of language translators and adequate detention conditions. , Among other things.

Although the relevant memorandum recognizes the need to protect the rights of returning Mexican immigrants, it “does not consider measures to be taken to fully protect them,” because it only provides practical means for implementing repatriation measures between the two countries.

In addition, “the detention and repatriation operations did not follow international recommendations on health protection,” despite the seriousness of the Covid-19 pandemic and the increase in the number of infections on both sides of the border.

In addition to the above, “In Mexico, the contents of international conventions relating to repatriation are unknown, and the human rights violation suffered by Mexican men and women who live in the United States or migrate to that country in an irregular manner has been normalized.”

Added to this ignorance is that some Mexican institutions, such as the National Institute of Migration (INM), consider information on these issues to be the “exclusive competence” of the Ministry of Foreign Relations, when its officials are also “obligated to know the repatriation agreements signed between Mexico and the United States to provide care.” Suitable “for whoever requests it.

For all these reasons, the CNDH noted the “urgent need” to review the above-mentioned memorandum of understanding, “to provide recognition of all human rights to Mexicans during their detention, confiscation, transfer and return to Mexico”.

Likewise, he called for repatriation agreements to be more protective and guarantors, and to “redouble consular efforts to provide maximum support and accompaniment to the more than seven million Mexican men and women who reside in the United States irregularly, as well as to those who continue to attempt to cross borders outside normal channels.” “.