On 18 Novembrer 2015, the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA) published a report on the human-rights situation of migrant and refugee persons in Mexico from 2014 to present, with a focus on the changes implemented since the start of the Southern Border Program. Compiled by nine civil organizations based in Mexico and the U.S., the report “An uncertain path: Justice for crimes and human-rights violations against migrants and refugees in Mexico” exposes the problem of security and access to justice for migrants. Since the implementation of the Southern Border Program, the operations, arrests, and deportations of migrants in Mexico have increased significantly, and so have human-rights violations. Migrant homes have observed a rise in the abuses and crimes committed by organized and State agents against this population, including kidnapping, robbery, extortion, and trafficking of persons. In the case of girls and women, more sexual violence has been reported. As a result of these measures, the number of arrests of foreigners rose 73% between July 2014 and June 2015, relative to the same period the previous year. “If the indicator for the Southern Border Program is the arrest of persons, obviously it has been very successful, but if it is placed within the context which it was developed, that is to protect the human rights of migrants, it has failed […]. In Mexico, where there are migrants, there is violence,” observed Maureen Meyer, member of WOLA. Beyond this, the civil groups have demanded that the Mexican State “guarantee access to justice, compensation for damages incurred, humanitarian visas, and refuge for the migrant population.”
According to the report, the U.S. government has offered political and economic support for Mexico to carry out the Southern Border Program since the burgeoning number of arrivals of unaccompanied children and adolescents to the U.S. border. This support has to do with especially with activities related to border security in southern Mexico. In light of this situation, the civil organizations made nine recommendations to the U.S. and Mexican governments to address the problem. Among these is one directed at the National Institute for Migration, calling on it to strengthen internal control and to prevent violations of human rights.
For more information (in Spanish):
Informe “Un camino incierto. Justicia para delitos y violaciones a los derechos humanos contra personas migrantes y refugiadas en México” (Oficina de Latinoamérica en Washington, WOLA, 18 de noviembre de 2015)
Sin desagregar por sexo denuncias de agresiones a migrantes (Cimac Noticias, 18 de noviembre de 2015)
Siguen violaciones a DH de migrantes: WOLA (El Universal, 18 de noviembre de 2015)
ONG: crecieron detenciones de migrantes, pero también abusos (La Jornada, 18 de noviembre de 2015)
“Un camino incierto: Justicia para delitos y violaciones a los derechos humanos contra personas migrantes y refugiadas en México” (Fundar, 11 de noviembre de 2015)
For more information from SIPAZ (in English):
National/international: The IACHR expresses concern before hardening of Mexican authorities toward migrants (30 June 2015)
Mexico/National: Honduran migrant dies of drowning in presence of migration agents, says La 72 (22 March 2015)
Chiapas/National: Bishops of southern Mexico pronounce themselves on the “drama of migration” (8 February 2015)
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