Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum traveled to the border with the United States during the weekend but avoided discussing immigration despite facing calls from advocacy groups to address the issue, which is dominating the political conversation in its northern neighbor as the presidential elections continue getting closer.
Local outlets reported that Sheinbaum, who is finishing the first month of her administration, did not mention immigration and avoided engaging with the press at the event, which took place at Playas del Rosarito, some 15 miles from Tijuana.
"We vindicate Mexican workers and particularly our brothers living on the other side of the borders. They are heroes of our homeland. They don't abandon their families or the country, because that's how we Mexicans are. We love each other, help each other. It is the strength of our people," she said.
Sheinbaum focused on confirming the continuity of the welfare programs implemented by her predecessor, Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO). "They will all continue. Universal pension, support for young people, pension for disabled people," she said.
The president has not focused on immigration during the first days of her term but has addressed the issue while campaigning. She has said that, to slow the influx of migrants passing through the border to reach the U.S., there must be some investment in the countries people are leaving.
She has previously suggested the U.S. could use some of its military funds to help these countries and allegedly reduce illegal immigration. "So, to the extent that there is development in Central America and in other countries that unfortunately many people leave for economic reasons to the United States, the long-term vision is that there should be investment and support in those areas," she said in May.
"So, if a part of what is destined to war investment in the U.S. were destined to investment for peace, we would be talking about a natural decrease in migration," she continued.
This is an issue the Morena politician has discussed throughout her campaign. During a rally in Ciudad Juarez in early March, the then-candidate explained that this plan would be less expensive to the U.S. compared to building a wall or increasing border patrol.
Similarly, in her campaign platform, she argued that immigration issues are related to human rights, which she vowed to defend.
"We fight to defend the human rights of Mexicans around the world, particularly those who live and work in the United States. The climate of intolerance and violence against migrants is unacceptable," Morena's party platform reads. "We fight for equality, for diversity, to enforce the rights of everyone in the face of social, labor and political discrimination."
The reduction in immigration figures at the U.S. southern border have dropped significantly over the past year, partly as a result of heightened enforcement from Mexican authorities that include bussing migrants back to the southern part of the country.
In fact, in September Mexico reported more encounters of undocumented migrants within its borders than the United States, according to data provided by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The figures include both Border Patrol apprehensions and those processed at ports of entry through the CBP One app.
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