Viewpoints and Advocacy

Themes and Issues

Migrant Rights

Preparation of Issues for Consideration of the Mexico Report

The International Catholic Migration Commission would like to submit two issues for the Committee to consider as it reviews this year the initial report submitted by the government of Mexico.

1. There is a tremendous need for a broadening of the worker visa program that is currently restricted (a) to Guatemalans workers; (b) for agricultural work (c) only in the State of Chiapas. Even among the Guatemalan workers, a number leave the farms to do non- agricultural work or leave Chiapas (or both), thereby becoming undocumented. And for non-Guatemalan migrant workers, there is little way for them to properly acquire legal working status. In many cases, the migrant workers are joined by members of their families, including children. Some of the children work also-not going to school and often not being paid either.

   The Church is concerned that because there is no way for these workers and families to acquire documented status, their undocumented status exposes them to exploitation and violations of their labour and human rights. A number of proposals were developed in 2005 to resolve these problems, including one for a Política Migratoria Integral en la Frontera Sur de México, results are not yet clear.

2. The biggest challenge is that Mexico needs a proper Immigration Law, because the current system within the General Population Law (la Ley General de Población) does not adequately address the real situation of migration in Mexico today. In that regard, the Senate's approval this month (April 4, 2006) of a bill for a new immigration law was a good step towards improving the situation of immigrants in Mexico and Mexican emigrants as well. ICMC expresses the wish that the Deputies will approve the bill, and that it will be enacted before the end of the current legislative session.