Mexico and U.S. reach an immigration agreement

Chivis Martinez Borderland

President Trump announces the agreement----via Tweet

The deadline imposed to reach an immigration agreement was to be this coming Monday June 10th.  However, the agreement was reached with time to spare.

Essential elements of the agreement

• Mexico will deploy its National Guard at the southern  border and six points within the country,  to impede the flow of undocumented migrant crossings.
• Mexico will create an operation that target human traffickers as criminal priorities.
• Asylum seekers will be returned to Mexico to wait processing.
• While in Mexico, asylum seekers will be provided jobs, healthcare and education.
• Results will be reassessed in 90 days which will determine the next phase of the agreement.
• Agreements by Mexico include unexpected elements, other than immigration, such as trade.  Example; Mexico will be purchasing large volume of product from U.S. farmers.

AMLO

Andrés Manuel López Obrador, the president of Mexico, [AMLO] had taken a tough stance initially, even chiding Trump about the meaning of the Statute of Liberty, with respect to migrants.

But in the end, he had a turnabout when deciding that it was in Mexico’s and the United States best interest to work together and quell the border crisis.

Those who have followed AMLO in his quest for the presidency, know that he is ultra-lefty who has never cared about borders, and in fact says it is a human rights obstruction to block  migrants. Yet Mexico’s immigration requirements are some of the most rigid in the world.

The problem is the vile treatment of economic migrants as they pass through Mexico.  I have worked with migrants and migrant shelter projects since 72 migrants were slaughtered in San Fernando Tamaulipas. Mexico cares nothing about these people.  10 to 12k migrants go missing each year in Mexico.  Little girls as young as 11 are started on birth control before their journey knowing they will be raped. Pretty females are forced into the sex trade, including children.   Mexico now has the title of highest number of children in the travel sex trade. Surpassing Thailand.

Saltillo Migrante shelter we handed out winter supplies during record cold

Young and strong men are forced into cartels.  Others are forced into servitude. There are no refusing requests by the cartels.  That is what the 72 attempted to do.  They were slaughtered, as they were only a few miles to the border, after a journey of 1200 miles from the Mexican south border to its northern border.

In Mexico it is a crime to stay in a migrant shelter for more than 3 days.  Agents are sent to check status of migrants, and they will be arrested, many migrants told me, if arrested,   their belongings are taken and never returned.

Mexicans are prejudice against Central Americans.  No one wants them if not to exploit, few help migrants,

I am angered at the hypocrisy on the part of Mexico, and AMLO, but relieved they will attempt to help.

We will see.....

Migrants at the PN casa--they are holding a letter from me I send with each"supplies" backpack

These men, two are brothers and did not read, my assistant read my message the man far right cried,
Saying it was the first time in 10 months that he felt someone cared, making him feel "human" We offer tickets
home to any  migrant that has been deported to Mexico.  These men decided to take the offer. Few do.

Already thousands of National Guard elements have been sent to the southern Mexican border, two caravan organizers supposedly have been arrested by Mexico.

The National Commission of Human Rights (CNDH) will monitor the performance of the 6,000 elements of the National Guard that were deployed on the southern border, said Ombudsman Luis Raúl González Pérez.

Mexican Foreign Minister’s statement

Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard said that the agreement reached with the United States contemplates the deployment of the National Guard on the southern border and that those who request asylum in that country be returned to Mexico without delay. '

"The United States will immediately extend the implementation of section 235”

"In turn Mexico, on humanitarian grounds and in compliance with its international obligations reasons, authorize the entry of such persons while awaiting the resolution of their asylum claims" Ebrard said.

While in the case of the National Guard, Mexican Foreign Minister informed that priority will be given to the deployment on the southern border.

"Mexico will significantly increase its application of Mexican law in order to reduce irregular migration including the deployment of the National Guard throughout the national territory giving priority to the southern border," he said.

"Mexico is taking decisive action to dismantle trafficking and human trafficking organizations, as well as its illegal transportation and financing networks."

He mentioned that the deployment of elements will begin on Monday in 11 municipalities on the southern border of the country.

"Already in Mexico there is a plan to put the National Guard into action, what is going to be done is to give priority to the 11 municipalities of the southern border, so that this deployment will begin on Monday and is within a national program that was already in progress, "he said.

Another point of the agreement refers to the fact that Mexico must provide job opportunities and education to migrants while they wait for their asylum requests.

"Mexico and the United States will lead the work, national and international consortiums to build a prosperous and secure Central America and thus address the causes of migration with the objective that citizens can build better lives for themselves and their families in house, "he added.

From the U.S. State Department

The United States and Mexico met this week to address the shared challenges of irregular migration, to include the entry of migrants into the United States in violation of U.S. law. Given the dramatic increase in migrants moving from Central America through Mexico to the United States, both countries recognize the vital importance of rapidly resolving the humanitarian emergency and security situation. The Governments of the United States and Mexico will work together to immediately implement a durable solution.

As a result of these discussions, the United States and Mexico commit to:

Mexican Enforcement Surge

Mexico will take unprecedented steps to increase enforcement to curb irregular migration, to include the deployment of its National Guard throughout Mexico, giving priority to its southern border. Mexico is also taking decisive action to dismantle human smuggling and trafficking organizations as well as their illicit financial and transportation networks. Additionally, the United States and Mexico commit to strengthen bilateral cooperation, including information sharing and coordinated actions to better protect and secure our common border.

Migrant Protection Protocols

The United States will immediately expand the implementation of the existing Migrant Protection Protocols across its entire Southern Border. This means that those crossing the U.S. Southern Border to seek asylum will be rapidly returned to Mexico where they may await the adjudication of their asylum claims.

In response, Mexico will authorize the entrance of all of those individuals for humanitarian reasons, in compliance with its international obligations, while they await the adjudication of their asylum claims. Mexico will also offer jobs, healthcare and education according to its principles.

The United States commits to work to accelerate the adjudication of asylum claims and to conclude removal proceedings as expeditiously as possible.

Further Actions

Both parties also agree that, in the event the measures adopted do not have the expected results, they will take further actions. Therefore, the United States and Mexico will continue their discussions on the terms of additional understandings to address irregular migrant flows and asylum issues, to be completed and announced within 90 days, if necessary.

Ongoing Regional Strategy

The United States and Mexico reiterate their previous statement of December 18, 2018, that both countries recognize the strong links between promoting development and economic growth in southern Mexico and the success of promoting prosperity, good governance and security in Central America. The United States and Mexico welcome the Comprehensive Development Plan launched by the Government of Mexico in concert with the Governments of El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras to promote these goals. The United States and Mexico will lead in working with regional and international partners to build a more prosperous and secure Central America to address the underlying causes of migration, so that citizens of the region can build better lives for themselves and their families at home. [end]

Governors celebrate pact between Mexico and the EU

Governors of the Country celebrated the agreement reached tonight between the Governments of Mexico and the United States.

The first to recognize it was the Head of Government of Mexico City, Claudia Sheinbaum, who highlighted the extraordinary intervention and negotiation of Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard.

Meanwhile, the Governor of Sonora, Claudia Pavlovich, considered that dialogue is the best way to achieve cooperation.

The Governor of Guerrero, Hector Astudillo, considered that this is good news for all Mexicans and Mexicans.

"Good news the cancellation of placing tariffs on Mexican products, very good for those who produce, for those who work," he said.

I received a call about a deportee having given birth.  We went shopping at the nearest Soriana, and  rushed to the shelter taking baby clothing, and supplies.  2 weeks later she called and asked if the offer to return to central america was still good.
We sent her home via bus and train. 

Chivis Note: 

Personally, I supported a tough stance at the border.  The chaos was out of control and worse by the day.  144k migrants from Central America, Africa, Cuba, India, China etc flooded the border into the United States last month alone..  They became embolden and fearless, something had to be done. 

And much more work is needed. 

To support strong security at the border,  while being compassionate and reactive to the situation of these poor people, is not mutually exclusive.  Facilitation, assistance, human kindness can go hand and hand with a desire for border security.

Is this the end all?

No, of course not.

Just as “The Wall” is not the end all, it is a tool.

Something to be celebrated; is two countries, neighbors, came together, placing negativity and blame aside, got to work and came up with a plan of action.  Kudos to both countries. 

To what degree it is successful, time will tell, but the most important element of the agreement is that Mexico is taking the asylum seekers into Mexico. International law dictates, asylums seekers are to go to the nearest country to apply.

The real fix is if congress will conduct themselves as Mexico and the United States did in this negotiation and create a new immigration package. No big winners right or left. Compromise! 

Only then the big winners will be---as it should be--- the American people.