I just read Will Mexico Decide the US Election from The New Yorker's June 10th edition and am confused about the Mexican government's stance on immigration. Could someone help me understand?
In my reading, it seems like Mexico wants a soft stance from the US on immigration across the US border. They want this because a hard stance on immigration would result in the immigrants attempting to cross the border being sent back to Mexico. What's confusing me is that, in this stance, they seem to have a hard stance themself. That is, they don't want the US to turn down asylum seekers because they themself don't want to deal with the problems that the immigrants present.
I understand that the majority of these immigrants are coming from other Latin American countries such as Venezuela, Ecuador, Columbia, and Nicaragua. If Mexico is concerned with having to handle the influx of immigrants, why don't they take a harder stance on immigration themself by tightening their own border security?
I want to clarify that I don't have a strong political stance either way on immigration from the border into the US. In my view, the asylum seekers are doing what they think is best for their own well being. They should be treated with compassion, but I also understand the issues that dealing with large numbers of immigrants presents. With these competing realities, the issue seems intractable.
The thrust of my question is that I cannot make sense of the logic that seems to suggest "We don't want to deal with them, so you should". Why does the Mexican government, and more specifically Alicia Bárcena, believe that the problem is best handled by the US once the immigrants cross the US border, instead of by Mexico before they reach that border? Why should the onus fall on the US instead of Mexico?
https://old.reddit.com/r/geopolitics/comments/1dg7ta4/what_is_mexicos_stance_on_immigration_into_the_us/
3 Comments
In theory, you’re correct that it SHOULD be Mexico’s responsibility to not allow illegal immigrant trains from forming in their country. But the reality is that doing so is costly and problematic. The more cynical view is that the human trafficking and coyotes are Mexicans and they are earning money from this “illegal” business. And well, if you’re a Mexican politician – cracking down on it means arresting and jailing Mexicans not exactly popular. Also fair odds a lot of this illegal activity is being managed by the cartels. Mexico isn’t exactly known for their outstanding law enforcement ability. Politically the cynical/realistic Mexican politician says, “our people earning money sucking these unfortunate people dry”, however immorally and if the US doesn’t like it, then let them deal with the issue, “not our problem”.
The majority of people showing up at the US southern border are no longer primarily from Mexico and/or the so-called “northern triangle” countries.
[https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/02/15/migrant-encounters-at-the-us-mexico-border-hit-a-record-high-at-the-end-of-2023/](https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/02/15/migrant-encounters-at-the-us-mexico-border-hit-a-record-high-at-the-end-of-2023/)
The remain in Mexico policy was discontinued by Biden in 2021 and with the shift in origin makes any future such policy less likely. A person seeking entry in to the US from Mexico could be denied entry, but someone couldn’t legally be deported to Mexico without Mexico’s agreement. Mexico has agreed to take back their nationals crossing illegally, but at least in modern times don’t seem to seek a large influx of migrants.
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immigration_to_Mexico](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immigration_to_Mexico)
Mexican government agencies and NGOs at different times have literally escorted migrants through Mexico to the US southern border. I don’t know what Alicia Bárcena has specifically said, but I think Mexico shifted back to that unofficial policy in 2021 to minimize the migrant impacts to Mexico.
Immigrants and refugees are attracted to North America. They don’t want to stay in Mexico. America has a lot of influence in South America and so bears responsibility for creating them.
Cuba is blockaded by America and as a result people flee to the US, which is used for propaganda purposes.
The biggest reason: detaining, blocking, shooting and murdering endless amounts of migrants is difficult, not just from a political or logistical perspective but from a moral one. You have to pay soldiers or border guards, prisoner guards, coast guards, etc. to engage in human rights violations. That’s why you need to install strong men like Gaddafi to deal with endless numbers of migrants.
There’s also cartels that prefer America as a market for their drugs.