Mexico's president has expressed her intention to negotiate with President-elect Donald Trump regarding the deportation of non-Mexican migrants. President Claudia Sheinbaum aims to propose that these individuals be sent directly to their home countries rather than being left at the Mexican border.
While Mexico is not obligated to accept non-Mexican migrants, it has previously agreed to do so, particularly for individuals from countries like Cuba and Venezuela. These countries sometimes refuse deportation flights from the U.S. but may accept them from Mexico.
In anticipation of potential large-scale deportations under the new U.S. administration, Mexican officials are making preparations. The country is concerned about the impact of deportations on both Mexican citizens and non-Mexican migrants arriving at border crossings ill-equipped to handle them.
Experts estimate that around 4 million Mexicans reside in the U.S. without proper documentation. Mexico is bolstering its consular services in the U.S. to manage deportation cases involving its citizens.
Dealing with third-country deported migrants presents a complex challenge, including individuals from Haiti, Cuba, and Venezuela. An existing agreement allows Mexico to accept up to 30,000 migrants per month from these countries, which are difficult for the U.S. to deport due to diplomatic or political reasons.
Recent repatriation efforts saw Mexico returning hundreds of Venezuelan migrants, with the government offering financial assistance to help them resettle in their home country.
The financial burden of handling deportations is a concern for Mexico, especially in assisting deported Mexicans with finding employment, housing, and transportation.
Mexico and the U.S. have a long-standing migration issue, exacerbated by threats of tariffs on Mexican goods by Trump unless more is done to address migration and drug trafficking.
While Trump claimed that Mexico had agreed to halt migration flows, Sheinbaum clarified that Mexico's focus is on fostering cooperation between governments and people rather than closing borders.
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