Posted on November 13, 2009

In Search of Migratory Reform for the Undocumented

M3, National Association of Former Border Patrol Officers, November 12, 2009

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Milenio (Mexico City) 11/11/09

–full transatio.–Members of the Mexican American Coalition for Migratory reform are in Guadalajara. Their objective is to reach an integral migratory reform for the undocumented Mexicans in the United States, which affects 12 million Mexicans who represent 50 percent of the immigrants who live in the United States, said Lorena Colin, national coordinator.

Alfredo Cuellar, professor at Fresno State University, asserted that the reform will be brought about “but the question is, when? Every second that goes by, the Mexican brothers suffer history’s most terrible hounding and harassment.” The group’s members said that the abuses and the discrimination toward those who lack documents are part of everyday life. “People live in terror. They are the so called modern slaves. They drive in fear while taking their children to school; they go to work; from there they return home and they don’t leave until the following day. They stay at home for fear that it might be the immigration police who knocks at the door,” commented Raul Murillo.

They said that even though President Barack Obama promised, while campaigning, to work on the issue during the first year of his mandate, they have not seen support from him and they pointed out that deportations have increased 47 percent since he became president. Murillo said that even though the round-ups of several years ago are no longer carried out, there is a search for citizens (sic) and they find them in their own homes. But he mentioned that 80 percent of those who return to Mexico were found while other citizens [We believe the speaker quoted here is using the term “citizens” to refer to fellow Mexicans] were being sought. What obligates Mexicans to leave the country is lack of opportunities, they said. Mario Hernandez said: “I urge the federal, state and municipal government to promote employment in Mexico: the long term solution to the migratory problem is to create jobs.”