By Miracle Ogunde
The Mexican government has announced plans to establish nine shelters for its citizens and an additional three for deported foreigners, according to AFP.
In anticipation of mass deportations threatened by former US President Donald Trump, Mexican soldiers moved swiftly on Thursday to set up emergency shelters near the United States border.
Operating under a scheme dubbed “Mexico embraces you,” the government has yet to disclose the total capacity of the shelters.
In the northeastern city of Matamoros, located across the border from Brownsville, Texas, navy personnel were seen erecting olive-green tents on a large sports field, as reported by an AFP correspondent. The Matamoros shelter, one of three being constructed in Tamaulipas state, is expected to accommodate approximately 3,000 individuals, according to municipal authorities.
President Claudia Sheinbaum stated this week that Mexico would extend humanitarian aid to deported migrants from other nations before repatriating them.
On his return to office on Monday, Trump declared a national emergency at the US southern border, pledging to deport “millions and millions” of migrants.
The Trump administration also announced plans to reinstate the “Remain in Mexico” policy, which requires individuals applying for entry to the United States from Mexico to remain in Mexico until their cases are resolved.
Additionally, the White House suspended an asylum programme for individuals fleeing authoritarian regimes in Central and South America, leaving thousands stranded on Mexico’s side of the border.
On Wednesday, Trump’s office confirmed his directive to deploy 1,500 additional military personnel to the border.
In response to the situation, Mexico’s government revealed plans in December to introduce a mobile app equipped with an alert button for migrants at risk of detention in the United States, where millions of undocumented Mexicans reside.
Leave a Reply