Thread: Mexican lawmakers decriminalize migrants

Published Tuesday | April 29, 2008
Mexican lawmakers decriminalize migrants
By MARK STEVENSON Associated Press Writer
The Associated Press
http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=1 ... d=10323060


MEXICO CITY (AP) - Migrant rights activists applauded a vote by Mexico's Congress to remove long-standing criminal penalties for undocumented migrants found in the country.

The measure passed unanimously in the lower house on Tuesday, a day after Senate approval. President Felipe Calderon's office declined to say whether he would sign the popular measure into law.

Mexican lawmakers saw the harsh penalties as an anachronism, and some noted Mexico also owes migrants better treatment.

Immigrants here, mostly Central Americans trying to reach the U.S., are often robbed, mistreated and subject to extortion by bandits and even police.

"It is very positive that they have removed the criminal penalties from the current law," said Karina Arias, the spokeswoman for Sin Fronteras, a Mexican group that promotes rights for migrants in Mexico. "It is a big step forward."

Current law lays out punishments of 1 1/2 to 6 years, while the new measure makes undocumented immigration a minor offense punishable by fines equivalent to about US$475 (euro300) to US$2,400 (euro1,535).

Some Mexican officials acknowledged that the current harsh penalties weakened Mexico's position in arguing for better treatment of its own migrants in the United States.

Arias said Mexico "is in a much better position" after voting for eliminating prison terms that are seldom enforced anyway. Most undocumented migrants caught in Mexico are simply deported.

Congresswoman Irma Pineiro of the small New Alliance Party said Mexico has a moral duty to protect migrants.

"Mexico is politically and morally obligated to treat migrants with dignity and to make a commitment to human rights, as a country that both exports and receives migrants," he said.

Gee now they only can Rape, beat up and rob them before they are fined!

What a bunch of nice guys!

Immigrants here, mostly Central Americans trying to reach the U.S., are often robbed, mistreated and subject to extortion by bandits and even police






And that is exactly why this dicriminalization means nothing. It's a big show being put on by a country that is the master of deceit.

All it did was take away prison sentences that even the Mexican government admits were rarely enforced.

It is guaranteed that the abuse and murders of illegal immigrants in Mexico will continue unabated by Calderons police and military.

They'll be nice and fair to them as long as they are continuing their move to America. Stay there in masses of millions and see how well it goes over.

Ha! Mexico is such a joke! If anyone is worse than USA on enforcing their laws it's Mexico!! The corruption runs so deep in Mexican officials it's their way or off to jail for as long as they want.

Arias said Mexico "is in a much better position" after voting for eliminating prison terms that are seldom enforced anyway. Most undocumented migrants caught in Mexico are simply deported.

Most "undocumented migrants" caught in Mexico simply pay the Mexican police or the drug cartels to get them into the U.S. And alot of "undocumented migrants simply "disappear" and can't be found.

"Mexico is politically and morally obligated to treat migrants with dignity and to make a commitment to human rights, as a country that both exports and receives migrants," he said.

Since when did Mexico EVER treat "migrants" or their own citizens with "dignity and with a moral commitment to human rights"?