The El Paso border is witnessing historically low levels of migrant arrivals, marked by a 63% drop in Border Patrol encounters. This significant decrease in the El Paso Sector comes amid preparations by the Mexican government for potential mass deportations from the United States. The Mexican administration, under President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, has launched the “Mexico embraces you” program, which aims to support Mexican nationals deported by the Trump administration. As part of these efforts, large tent shelters are under construction in Juárez.
Construction of Migrant Shelters
Construction of the shelters began on January 21, with state workers setting up scaffolding on land known locally as El Punto, located just east of the Paso del Norte border crossing. These shelters will exclusively accommodate Mexican nationals, providing them with temporary housing, food, medical care, telephones, and job placement assistance. Additionally, the facilities will ensure provisions like potable water, garbage collection, and generators to support their operation.
The Mexican government remains committed to aiding migrants who wish to return to their home countries and will continue offering humanitarian assistance to other foreign migrants at the border waiting in Mexico. The National Institute of Migration will manage foreign nationals.
“Foreign nationals will be attended by the National Institute of Migration,” – Enrique Serrano
To further assist deportees, the program includes 189 buses to facilitate transportation back to their hometowns. Moreover, the shelters align with Mexico’s reactivation of the Migration Protection Protocols (MPP). Originally implemented during Trump’s first administration, this policy requires non-Mexican asylum seekers to remain in Mexico while their cases progress in the United States.
Although the shelters in Juárez will not serve non-Mexican migrants, at least three federally run shelters in the city continue to provide humanitarian services to these individuals. The Mexican government’s preparations reflect a proactive approach to address potential challenges arising from shifts in U.S. immigration policies.
Author’s Opinion
The Mexican government’s proactive measures to establish shelters and support systems for deported individuals underline a significant effort to manage and mitigate the impacts of U.S. immigration policy changes on its nationals. This initiative not only provides immediate relief to those affected but also underscores the broader challenges of migration management in today’s global landscape. It reflects a shift towards more comprehensive and humane migration policies that focus on the dignity and welfare of individuals, setting a precedent for other nations grappling with similar issues.
Featured image credit: Roger Ce via Pexels
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