Mexico’s immigration policies, focused on the repression, containment, and deportation of migrant individuals, have influenced the orientation of public discourse toward narratives of a racist, classist, and xenophobic nature.revealed a report from the organization Oxfam Mexico on Tuesday.
However, in his document “The Mexican wall. Study of perceptions about migration in Mexico”with the purpose of disseminating the impressions of Mexican society in relation to migrants, He qualified that three quarters of Mexicans adopt an ambivalent position regarding migration.
“74% of Mexican society is in an ambivalent sector, that is, it does not have a position for or against migration”explained Elizabeth Figueroa, migration coordinator for Oxfam Mexico.
The main lines of argument in negative comments towards migrants They focus on issues such as their integration into society, the use of the country’s resources, crime and legality.
Alexandra Haas, executive director of Oxfam Mexico, explained that this study stems from an internal reflection on the importance of how we see migration in Mexico.
Significant data from the report
This report, corresponding to the period from March to October 2022, identified five segments of attitudes of Mexican society regarding migration.
Among these segments, the one with the highest percentage stands out, with 35% of those surveyed consider that migrations do not have a positive impact on the economy or culture of the country.
On the other hand, Only 9% of those surveyed, representing the lowest figure, maintain that migration has a positive impact on the economy.
As opposed, 17% consider that migration has a negative impact, especially on the economy and culture.
Also highlights that migrants associate with people from Central American countriessince the people surveyed refer that migrants originate mainly from Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador and Haiti.
However, Despite this perception, 55.9% of those surveyed believe that migrants are only in transit with the objective of reaching the United States.
contradictions and concerns
Carlos Heredia, economist international relations specialist He blamed the Mexican president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who in his five years in government has never met with the Mexican communities in the United States.
“We are a country and we have a very contradictory government that says we are Latin American brothers, but we dedicate ourselves to running over and beating Central American migrantsincluding women who have to take the pill because they know they are going to be sexually assaulted along the way,” Heredia said.
Leni Álvarez, a woman who returned from the United States 14 years ago, has shared that migrants experience the fear of being detained in the United States and face the possibility of being deported, but she has also pointed out that this same concern is present in our country.
Reflections on migration
The journalist Gabriela Warkentin emphasized the importance of humanizing migration when telling her stories instead of focusing on providing a large number of statistics.
“The media have to recognize that we are doing it wrong (…) we have to better contribute narratively in the face of migration,” he remarked.
Giovanni Leprirepresentative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (Acnur), stated that people who arrive from other countries should be supported, but not only us, but also the authorities.
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