The Secretary of Foreign Affairs of Mexico, Juan Ramón de la Fuente, announced the Mexican government’s plan to protect immigrants from President Trump’s mass deportation plans, among which the hiring of 326 legal advisors stands out.
“Let all immigrants know that without exception they will not be alone, that we will offer them legal defense through external legal advice (PALE),” said Secretary De la Fuente.
“We are going to defend each case where the rights of immigrants are not fulfilled and due process is not carried out.”
He stressed that these lawyers they have hired will have a quick reaction mechanism.
“We already have the protocols and we ask that the consulate be notified as established by the Vienna Convention. We need to maintain legal agreements and build new ones.”
He revealed that they are talking with officials from the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Service (ICE) and the United States Customs and Border Protection Office (CBP), and have visited the detention centers.
“We want that in the event of an arrest, due process is followed at every stage. The idea is that when we are notified by law, we activate a lawyer to go, and the family members are allowed to be notified.”
During a visit to the Consulate General of Mexico in Los Angeles, where he met with community leaders and Mexican consuls on the West Coast, Foreign Minister De la Fuente announced the general strategy for the protection and defense of Mexican migrants in accordance with the region where they are located and current federal and state laws.
“We have four fundamental strategies. The first is legal defense and is consistent with the rights fundamentally of the Vienna Convention on consular affairs, federal and state laws that vary from state to state, their scope and limitations.
“First we are going to use a preventive strategy such as registering the children at the consulates, and having their papers in order.”
He emphasized that the second strategy is the improvement of consular services through the digitalization of all procedures that today are cumbersome and slow.
“Digitization has already begun for our countrymen with marriage and birth certificates, and we have changed the legal framework so that a series of modifications can be made. All of this will be able to start from here, including appointments, with a cell phone application.”
He explained that the third strategy has to do with building community alliances with all groups that have sympathy for immigrants and are willing to show solidarity.
“We are talking about churches, universities and social organizations that can accompany them in a moment of harassment so that they are not alone and these networks are going to help us spread consular efforts so that we can reach where they need us.”
He mentioned that another element has to do with the strengthening of consular structures.
“All vacancies have been filled to have all the elements to face growing demand. We want to move forward so that it is very clear that the Mexican government is and will be supporting immigrants with these instruments that local and international law gives us, and with these alliances that we are weaving in each constituency.”
He revealed that there is another plan that he is going to announce to the president that has to do with how they are going to accept those who are deported or those who voluntarily want to return to the country.
“There is a whole strategy and a call for national unity that has to do with the contingency circumstances that may arise and affect our compatriots.”
He indicated that they are working together with Mexican and United States business and community leaders, who know that the success of their companies and productive projects depend on the good labor that migrants represent.
“Everyone is reacting positively because they know that these are times to work together and join forces.”
What is the Mexican government doing to contain the migratory flow of caravans?
“We call it the humanitarian model of mobility, unique in the world, because it addresses the entire cycle of migration with a community approach. It takes into account the causes, what happens during transit, the conditions in the destination country and the return when it occurs. “We have managed to reduce irregular crossings by 75% between December 2023 and November 2024.”
He questioned how long it has been since a caravan has arrived at the border, and responded that they have not arrived because they are cared for in Mexico and options are found for them in the country.
“We are working with Central American countries on different programs.”
He pointed out that migration is a global, regional, multinational phenomenon that needs to be managed with more efficiency and a humanitarian perspective so that it is regulated, orderly, and respects the rights of migrants.
The Mexican Foreign Minister said that the dialogue between President-elect Trump and President Sheinbaum has already begun and has been marked by dialogue.
“We are in the best spirit of coordinating, subordination, no.”
He announced that the meetings he held with Los Angeles community leaders were good.
“We are facing a complicated situation, but the leaders are in good spirits, committed and united in a collaborative project.”