Abstract
This chapter investigates the impact that the return of thousands of Mexican nationals from the US is having on Mexico’s migratory context. It shows how the Mexican government is confronting a major challenge that it seems ill-prepared to respond to with concrete policies/programs and to integrate increasing numbers of returning migrants. The analysis draws on the classic five-stage model of the policy process (entering the public agenda, problem identification, policy design, implementation and evaluation) to examine the objectives, scope and budget allocation of integration programs during the last decade. Focusing on Somos Mexicanos, the most emblematic initiative developed by the Mexican Federal government to address the needs of returnees, the piece illustrates how Mexico’s response has been characterized by several, critical shortcomings—poor planning, a tardy reply and lack of adequate resources—that have compromised effective integration efforts.
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Notes
- 1.
The US government reclassified all exclusion and deportation procedures as “removal proceedings” in 1997; like previous studies, we use removal and deportation interchangeably throughout the analysis.
- 2.
In addition to the National Migration Law (2011) were the also approved Law on Refugees and Complementary Protection (2011), General Law to Prevent, Sanction and Eradicate Human Trafficking and for the Assistance of Victims of Said Crimes (2012), Intercultural and Attention to Migrants and Human Mobility Law for the Federal District and a constitutional amendment on human rights (2011).
- 3.
Although we first perform a normative analysis, it is important to mention that these were approved after the programs, which we will mention in subsequent sections.
- 4.
The terms for repatriation and reception of Mexican nationals are fixed in Chap. 10 of the Regulation to the Law (the accompanying regulatory framework of the National Migration Law). Specifically, Articles 216 and 218 aver that Mexico’s Secretariat of the Interior, through its National Institute of Migration, will set forth the appropriate course of action with regard to reception and assistance of all Mexican nationals reentering the territory.
- 5.
The rights mentioned in Chapter V, Article 84 of the General Population Act are: having access to phone-based communication; be provided with water and food as well as with basic tools for personal hygiene; receive legal, psychological and medical attention; receive information regarding the diverse programs and assistance that one is entitled to; to not be discriminated by social class, economic class, health, language, religion or any other characteristic and that might prevent the due recognition of human rights and equality of opportunities; receive aid regarding transportation so as to arrive at your residence in Mexico; have designated and separate areas for men and for women; be guaranteed the right to preserve family unity—unless this is deemed harmful for children or adolescents; children and adolescents that are not accompanied by adults should be provided with their own quarters and be channeled to the proper authorities; and above all be treated in a respectful and fitting manner (Ley de Población 2012).
- 6.
Strategy 5.4.2 of the National Development Plan (2013–2018) discusses the creation of a mechanism for the reinsertion of return migrants and bolstering repatriation programs. The specific courses of action delineated are: review repatriation agreements to guarantee that human rights are satisfactorily upheld and that all existing protocols will be correctly administered; strengthen existing programs with the intent of increasing the emphasis on guarding the physical and emotional well-being of repatriated immigrants and protecting them from any human rights violation; establish clear control mechanisms for repatriation and identify all those who have a criminal history; create and strengthen programs for the proper certification of work skills and promote work force reincorporation; and promote and strengthen overall reinsertion into their future communities.
- 7.
The organizations came together, formally, in what was called Colectivo Plan Nacional de Desarrollo—Migración, created deliberately so that organizations could present their demands and help shape the National Development Plan. Out of the 80 organizations that participated in this Colectivo, more than 90% had previously worked with federal authorities, 64% had worked with state authorities, 42% had worked at a regional and/or international level and 60% had worked with the judicial and legislative branches of government (Meza González and Romero León 2013).
- 8.
The first part, equivalent to half the monthly minimum wage, is given only if the interested party requests it in person—and within 20 days after he was repatriated—at a National Office Service of Employment at his place of future residency and origin. Additionally, one of the following must be true of the interested party: (a) that he entered the county through a state on the northern border with the US and was processed by OSNE at said point; (b) that he entered through an airport designated by the national authorities as an authorized repartition hub; (c) that he entered the county through a state on the northern border with the US; and (d) that he himself paid the costs of transportation to arrive at his new place of residence. This first part shall be paid five days after the request.
The second part, equivalent to half the monthly minimum wage, is disbursed when the interested party returns to OSNE and presents evidence that he attended all job interviews that were arranged for him. Alternately, he receives this second part if he informs that he is now part of one of the subprograms of the PAE. This second part shall be paid five days after the request.
- 9.
We submitted various information requests to the INM and the Mexican Senate through the Freedom of Information Act. They responded with total annual budgets.
- 10.
Chapter 10, Articles 216 and 218 of the Regulation to the Law.
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Jacobo Suárez, M., Cárdenas Alaminos, N. (2019). Open-Door Policy? Reintegration Challenges and Government Responses to Return Migration in Mexico. In: Feldmann, A., Bada, X., Schütze, S. (eds) New Migration Patterns in the Americas. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-89384-6_5
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