This week, Mexico’s government unveiled their plan called "Estas en tu Casa"(You are in your home). The program provides the migrants with temporary employment, access to government-funded health care, and education for their children. The migrants who take part in the program will be employed in the cleaning and maintenance of public buildings and roads.In order to take part in the program, the migrants and their families must be in the country legally and reach out to immigration authorities who will sign them up. The program will only be available in the southern Mexican states of Chiapas and Oaxaca. Those who are part of the caravan and entered the country illegally will be given time to begin the immigration process and must follow Mexico’s immigration law. Those in the program will also be given Mexico’s version of a social security number, commonly known as CURP (Clave Unica de Registro Publico) so they are able to open bank accounts and what not. According to Mexico’s Secretariat of the Interior, the program is designed to help up to 6,000 migrants and will be supported through emergency funds destined for social emergencies.
I decided to write my blog about this topic because of the book we had just finished called Refugee. In this book multiple characters are trying to flee their home country to get somewhere safe. In this instance, individuals are being offered asylum, and are able to escape the hardships of their home countries. Unlike the individuals in the book who were turned away from countries. Although, many migrants in the caravan decided to turn down Mexico's offer, and will proceed to the U.S. I thought this was so interesting because the U.S. will turn them away. Why not take Mexico's offer?
It's amazing that a country like Mexico can do more to help refugees than the U.S., considering we're viewed as the world's leader. And even more shameful that our current president is making our image that much worse.
ReplyDeletePowerful question. I hope we can speculate about answers in class. Of course the Syrian refugees didn't want to stay in Greece or any of the other countries they passed through - they wanted to go to Germany.
ReplyDeleteI was thinking about this after we talked on Monday and I had a thought- maybe they want to come all the way to the United States because they are scared to stay in Central America. The Syrian refugees who didn't want to stay in Greece or other countries on their way to Germany because they wanted to be farther away. Going so far away maybe can calm nerves, being far enough to not have any of the problems they had to deal with thus far...
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a great program. I love that Mexico is taking action to help refugees, it's awesome that 6,000 people can benefit from it. The U.S definitely needs to start taking more action to help.
ReplyDeleteSuper cool of Mexico to be helping out and actually doing something about the situation. I hope America wakes up and sees the real issue here. I'm sure we'd' be able to help tremendously.
ReplyDeleteLike everyone else above, I think it's great that Mexico is reaching out a hand to help. The United States needs to watch and learn a few things, I think.
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