UNITED STATES: Mexico’s government strongly criticised a stringent immigration law introduced in Florida, spearheaded by Republican Governor and potential American presidential candidate Ron DeSantis, and the nation pledged to assist in safeguarding undocumented Mexican individuals residing in that state.
DeSantis is vying for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024, and his new Florida law, which went into effect on Saturday, is considered a foreshadowing of the kind of strict immigration enforcement tactics he would pursue.
Last month, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador encouraged Latino voters in the United States to oppose Governor DeSantis, alleging that he was seeking to gain support by targeting migrants.
As stated on Governor DeSantis’ official website, the newly enacted law includes provisions such as the allocation of funds to relocate individuals without legal status outside of the state, limitations on access to identification cards, and the implementation of an electronic system to verify work eligibility for a wider range of businesses.
The Foreign Ministry of Mexico expressed concerns in a released statement, stating that these provisions have the potential to foster discrimination and racial profiling, as well as create hostile environments, intimidation, and hate crimes.
“Criminalization is not the way to resolve the phenomenon of undocumented migration,” said the ministry, describing the newly implemented measures as motivated by xenophobia and white nationalism.
It further added that Mexico respects the legislative processes of the United States but considers the Florida law to be counterproductive to the collaborative efforts between the two countries in treating migrants with dignity.
“The Mexican consulates in the United States will take steps to educate migrants about their rights and collaborate with civil society organisations to spot possible instances of abuse,” the ministry continued.
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