MEXICO CITY, April 29 (UPI) — The sharp decrease in U.S. illegal border crossings may be attributed Mexican government program allegedly tied to human rights violations.
About 60,000 fewer immigrants were caught crossing the United States’ southern border illegally in the last six months, compared to the same period last year — a nearly 30 percent drop. The number of unaccompanied children caught at the border saw an even steeper decline — slightly more than 15,500, a drop of 45 percent.
The decreases, in part, are attributed to Mexican government efforts to curb illegal immigration from Central America into Mexico.
Mexico launched Programa Frontera Sur, or Southern Border Program, in July of last year with the stated goals of protecting migrants who enter Mexico and to improving security at points of entry in the country’s southern border with Guatemala and Belize, known to be easily intruded.
The program launched by President Enrique Peña Nieto has been half successful, according to critics.
Although Mexico has increased deportations as of late — as evidenced by 3,819 deportations of unaccompanied minors from Central America, a 56 percent increase from the previous year — the program has been accused of a myriad of human rights violations.
Multiple immigrants from Central America spoke to newspaper Animal Politico to recount their experiences with Mexican officials.
“It’s so that they run you down, and when they grab you, bam! bam! bam! They hit you there,” a Nicaraguan immigrant said. “Yes, man… so you feel like a wild animal.”
Immigrants said they were robbed of their belongings or mistreated while in detention centers.
“All of the sudden I open my eyes, and the people from immigration were already in the room. Didn’t knock or say ‘excuse me.’ Nothing, they just got in,” a Salvadorean immigrant identified as Arely said. “There were some minors, of 9 or 10 years, in a room and they took them out like dogs. Like dogs. Like criminals and they were minors. They didn’t allow them to change or to put on shoes or grab their belongings. They came in very aggressively.”
Government officials are also accused of using means of extortion on migrants.
“The plan is focused… to stop immigrants, to hunt them. It’s a hunt.” Alberto Donis, coordinator of the Hermanos en el Camino shelter, said.
“What they’re doing is detaining and deporting, detaining and deporting. They don’t notice that the same people that enter, well, they deport you and you come back,” often in more dangerous circumstances, Donis said.
Consul for El Salvador Jose Antonio Dominguez said the implementation of the Southern Border Program “has gone from a certain tolerance with the migrant, to total control.”
The program has not decreased attacks on migrants, “on the contrary, they have increased,” he said.
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights has praised the Mexican government in some efforts, including the decriminalization of undocumented migrants’ entry into Mexican territory, but condemns Mexican authorities for not doing enough to protect vulnerable immigrants from abuses by its own hand or from from drug organizations.
“The extreme vulnerability to which migrants and other persons fall victim in the context of human mobility in Mexico is one of the worst human tragedies in the region today,” according to the organization. “However, the Mexican State’s response has been patently inadequate in terms of preventing, protecting, prosecuting, punishing, and redressing crimes and human rights violations committed against migrant persons.”
“Furthermore, the State’s response to crime and drug trafficking through the actions of police and military forces in many cases has only contributed to an increase in violence and human rights violations committed by State agents, rather than ensuring the safety of those in Mexico,” the commission said.
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