El Paso Times – The 26-year-old Mexican journalist who had been seeking political asylum in El Paso has returned to his country after his request for release under parole was denied for a second time by U.S. authorities. Martin Mendez Pineda, from Acapulco in the state of Guerrero, spent more than three months at the El Paso Processing Center.
Category Archives: Migration
Migrant activist found beaten near Mexico City
AP – A U.S. border rights activist has been found on the outskirts of Mexico City, after he sent a chilling Facebook live message saying he was stranded and people were trying to kill him. A Mexican federal official said the person found beaten was Hugo Castro. He is a member of the migrant defense group Border Angels.
Asylum seekers in Mexico soar 150%
The Guardian – The number of people applying for asylum in Mexico has soared by more than 150% since Donald Trump was elected US president, as more Central American migrants seek refuge in Mexico rather than take their chances in the United States.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/apr/18/trump-mexico-asylum-applications-soar
Asylum claims lodged in Canada from Mexico rise
CTV – The number of people seeking asylum in Canada from Mexico continues to rise. New figures from the Immigration and Refugee Board show that March recorded the highest number yet of new claims in 2017 — 110, up from 85 in February and 71 in January, for a total of 266 so far this year. In all of 2016, there were just 241, statistics from the IRB show.
Mexican deportees now find “open arms” in Mexico
NYT – For years, as the Obama administration sent back thousands of Mexicans each week — more than two million altogether — Mexico’s establishment barely reacted. All but invisible, the deportees were left to cope on their own with divided families, uncertain job prospects and the poverty that had pushed so many north in the first place. Now, Mexican politicians are eagerly embracing them, portraying deportees as the embodiment of President Trump’s hostility toward their country and their people — even though deportations of Mexican citizens actually fell in the opening months of his term.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/15/world/americas/mexico-deportees-welcome.html?_r=0
Sessions visits border to push migration crackdown
Reuters – U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions traveled to the U.S.-Mexico border this week to make his case for increased prosecutions of illegal immigrants, pressuring U.S. attorneys to prioritize cases against criminal migrants. Sessions, a long-time proponent of tougher immigration enforcement, told U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents at the Port of Nogales, Arizona, that more illegal migrants should be prosecuted as criminals.
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-immigration-sessions-idUSKBN17D283
Husband of Trump voter deported to Mexico
Buzz Feed – A Mexican man who spent almost two decades living in the United States was deported back to his home country late Tuesday, separating him from his US-born wife, who voted for President Donald Trump.
Mexican reporter, fearing for his life, denied asylum
The Daily Beast – Mexican journalist Martin Mendez Pineda, 25, who was beaten by the country’s federal police for his reporting has been denied asylum in the United States as a result of Trump administration policy and faces deportation back to Mexico.
4 Chinese found stuffed in trunk at border
Fox News – A driver entering the U.S. from Mexico was arrested Tuesday after customs officials discovered four Chinese immigrants stuffed in the trunk of his car. The man was crossing through the San Ysidro border crossing in San Diego.
Cuban migrants claim abuse by Mexican authorities
Miami Herald – A group of Cuban migrants detained in the southern Mexico city of Tapachula have accused authorities of beating and mistreating them after they staged a hunger strike — some by sewing their lips together — to demand their release.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/cuba/article138673708.html
Mexico has program to hire U.S. deportees
The Mexican government has signed an agreement with a private organization to provide thousands of jobs for repatriated citizens as the United States moves to boost deportations of immigrants in that country illegally.
http://www.wbrz.com/news/mexico-program-to-offer-up-to-50-000-jobs-for-deportees/
Stranded Haitians build new homes in Tijuana
Reuters – Some 3,500 Haitians are now in the border cities of Tijuana and Mexicali, according to Mexican government data. Amid the hammering of tools and the swell of songs from their homeland, dozens of Haitians are working to build the “Haitian Villa” on the western flank of Tijuana.
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-mexico-images-haiti-widerimage-idUSKBN16N2BC
Mexico returns 49 Cubans to Cuba
KRGV – The plight of Cuban nationals who attempted to emigrate to the U.S. unsuccessfully were sent back to their country.Mexico’s Immigration Institute said 49 Cubans were returned to Cuba morning.
http://www.krgv.com/story/34798377/mexico-returns-49-cubans-to-island
Lack of migrants eliminates need for wall
Voice of San Diego – As the U.S. prepares to invest tens of billions of dollars in Trump’s project, it is worth asking whether immigrants from Mexico are likely to continue coming north at the same rates, particularly given research showing that economic considerations weigh most heavily among people choosing to immigrate.
http://www.voiceofsandiego.org/topics/news/immigration-mexico-soon-plummet-even-without-border-wall/
Kelly wants to separate women, children at border
Reuters – U.S. Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly confirmed a report that he was considering a proposal to separate women and children who cross the U.S. border with Mexico illegally, a policy shift he said was aimed at deterring people from making a dangerous journey.
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-immigration-children-idUSKBN16D2OX
Mexico opens migrant defense centers at consulates
Reuters – Mexico opened legal aid centers at its 50 consulates across the United States to defend its citizens, the Mexican government said, amid worries of a crackdown on illegal immigration under U.S. President Donald Trump.
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-mexico-immigration-idUSKBN16B0PL
31 Cubans rescued in Cancun
Reuters – Mexican federal police rescued 31 Cuban immigrants who had been held in a house in the resort city of Cancun. The 22 men and 9 women did not have visas to be in Mexico and said they were being held by a group of armed men who had demanded money for their release.
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mexico-cuba-immigration-idUSKBN16B0ON?il=0
Pence reiterates that Mexico will pay for wall
The Hill – Vice President Mike Pence stressed that Mexico will pay for President Trump’s proposed border wall despite Trump not reiterating the plan in his speech before Congress. Pence said during an interview with “Good Morning America” host George Stephanopoulos: ”We’re going to build a wall. We’re going to enforce the laws of this country.”
http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/321744-mike-pence-mexico-will-pay-for-border-wall
SF, Mexico sign agreement to protect migrants
NBC – San Francisco leaders moved forward with their own plan to better protect all city residents. Calling it a matter of public safety, District Attorney George Gascon secured his allegiance with Mexico via a memorandum of understanding with the country’s Consulate General. It underscores the two parties’ understanding to protect and provide services to victims and witnesses of crimes, regardless of their immigration status.
Momentum grows to help “dreamers” in Mexico
CSMonitor – Mexico estimates that some 40,000 young people who lived undocumented in the US may move back in the next several years. Many face enormous obstacles in trying to transfer educational credits that are crucial to establishing a foothold in Mexico.