The measure is intended to reduce congestion at the common border, although experts warn that it could encourage criminals who deceive undocumented migrants.
The measure is implemented in a context of high migration and security concerns in the region. According to the Mexican Foreign Minister, Alicia Bárcena, the daily arrest of 1,000 migrants at the border is reported this week. undocumented immigrants has decreased by 77% since December 2023. The new policy, revealed two and a half months before the US presidential elections, seeks to alleviate the migratory pressure that exists at the border.
This implementation raises hopes among migrants stranded in Tapachula, the largest city on the border between Mexico and Central America.
“It’s good news because this way you avoid traveling a lot to another train, you don’t know one over there, while you already know Tapachula, it would be good news to be able to move around,” Melvin Javier González, Honduran migrant
He believes that the measure simplifies his travel, reduces costs and avoids the need to travel extensively, he told EFE.
⚠️Important information from the United States Government 🇺🇸⚠️
🛂 Starting August 23, 2024, you will be able to request your appointment #CBPONE from Tabasco and Chiapas without having to travel to northern Mexico.
Protect your safety, avoid risks and always use legal channels! pic.twitter.com/KxrrbDlnhf
— UNHCR Mexico (@AcnurMexico) August 22, 2024
Migratory pressure at the border
Although arrests at the US border have decreased, the Irregular migration through Mexico increased by 193 percent year-on-year in the first half of the yearexceeding 712 thousand people, according to the Government’s Migration Policy Unit.
The increase highlights the growing attention on migration from Mexico to the US, amid intensifying anti-immigrant sentiment ahead of the US elections in November.
While the former president and Republican candidate Donald Trump warns of the possibility of mass deportations and intensifies on rhetoric contra los Mexicansthe Democratic candidate Kamala Harris promised this week sign a reform negotiated in February that contemplated the closing of the border and the expulsion of more migrants to Mexico.
Activists and lawyers warn of potential risks
Luis Rey García Villagrán, director of the Center for Human Dignity (CDH), said in an interview with EFE that the new US measure is only a “palliative.” He also warned that the racketeering on the border between Mexico and Central America could take advantage of misinformation generated by this policy.
“This will lead to immigration ‘lawyers’, agents who are actually extortionists, taking advantage of the situation,” Luis Rey García.
The lawyer specialized in immigration issues, José Luis Pérez, warned migrants that, despite the new measure, They will not be able to transit from south to north in Mexico without an issued document by the National Migration Institute (INM). Perez said that:
“The disorderly, corrupt and stagnant migration situation in southern Mexico is not going to change.”
According to him, even if applicants schedule an appointment, they will still need a document from the INM to be able to move, which reflects a huge corruption business.
In summary, experts predict that, although the implementation of the appointment measure through the ‘CBP One’ application seeks to better manage the migratory flow and relieve pressure on the border, will not solve the fundamental problems of the immigration systemAs migrants face new bureaucratic barriers and potential fraud, it is clear that they are needs a more comprehensive reform to effectively address the complexities of migration in the region.
#Activists #warn #dating #measure #southern #Mexico
