Mexico’s president says he rejected a U.S. request to set up migrant transit centers in Mexico despite neighboring Guatemala setting up their center, where migrants can apply for U.S. work and refugee visas. The reasoning behind the president’s decision lies in his preference to have such centers in countries that are the sources of migration, although a considerable number of migrants enter the United States from Mexico. He also states that he would raise the subject in a meeting of Latin American leaders he will host later this month, suggesting that the countries might agree to a common plan on such sites. The centers are designed to reduce the number of undocumented immigrants coming to the United States from Latin America and the Caribbean. Migrant transit centers are financed by the United States and have been set up in Guatemala. The centers can receive applications from Central American citizens seeking to apply for work visas, family reunifications, or refugee status.
Opinion: I believe these centers were created with the intention of reducing the number of undocumented immigrants in the county, but to also combat rising tension between Mexico and the United States. Because the number of undocumented migrants coming into the county the two nations have had their issues. For example recently the Mexican government sent a diplomatic note to the United States complaining about the closure of some freight or train border crossings because of the large number of migrants gathered on the border. But despite this Mexico and the United States are still valuable partners to each other. I believe the best way to solve this complicated problem starts with cooperation from the United States and the Mexican government. This way the governments can coordinate with officials on cross-border infrastructure, transportation planning, and security. Both governments can also collaborate with organizations that address migration, natural resources, environment, and health issues.
This article connects to our class and its content through the solutions to the border problem. Strong communication and planning between the federal government, state and local governments, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) is vital to combat the problem. In class, we discussed how IGOs and NGOs play a part in the international world. In this situation, some NGOs have received at least $137 million in federal grants. These grants provide funds for food, shelter, and transportation to legal services to help the migrants travel through Mexico. The article also relates to the idea of borders, which we discussed in class. More specifically, how shared borders affect the international world. Because the US and Mexico share a border their relationship tends to be strong despite the problems they might have. Their shared border also plays into economic integration, threats to peace and security, and an international focus on human rights and environmental protection. Shared borders between Mexico and the United States in a sense force” the countries to come together for common goals.