Mexico’s secretary of overseas affairs described the app as a ‘panic button’.
Mexico is creating a brand new cellphone app for its residents who’re in the USA illegally to allow them to notify their relations and the closest Mexican consulate if they’re going through deportation, based on a Mexican official on Friday.
The transfer is available in response to potential mass deportations of unlawful immigrants in the USA underneath the incoming Trump administration.
Juan Ramón de la Fuente, Mexico’s secretary of overseas affairs, stated the app is at the moment in small-scale testing, and it “seems to be working very nicely.”
De la Fuente described it as a “panic button” in an announcement to The Related Press.
“In case you end up in a scenario the place detention [by U.S. immigration authorities] is imminent, you push the alert button, and that sends a sign to the closest consulate,” he stated.
De la Fuente didn’t say whether or not the app features a function to cancel an alert if detention doesn’t happen.
Along with the app, the Mexican authorities has established a 24-hour name middle to deal with questions from its residents illegally in the USA or those that are not sure of their standing. Mexico has additionally bolstered its consular workers and authorized support sources to help unlawful immigrants in navigating the deportation course of.
In line with Mexican authorities estimates, there are roughly 11.5 million migrants with some type of authorized residency in the USA and 4.8 million who’re there illegally.
The app is predicted to be totally launched in January, coinciding with President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20. Throughout his campaigning, Trump repeatedly stated he would implement mass deportations as soon as again in workplace.
The event additionally comes amid ongoing discussions between Trump and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum concerning immigration insurance policies. Trump not too long ago claimed a victory in stopping unlawful immigration by means of Mexico following a dialog with Sheinbaum.
Trump acknowledged on his Reality Social account that Sheinbaum “agreed to cease Migration by means of Mexico.”
Sheinbaum additional stated that Mexico is already addressing migrant caravans, saying, “I informed him the caravans are usually not reaching the northern (U.S.) border, as a result of Mexico is taking good care of them.”
The dialog between the 2 leaders occurred shortly after Trump threatened to impose new tariffs on Canada and Mexico as a part of his technique to fight unlawful immigration and drug trafficking. Trump described the potential tariffs as “successfully closing our Southern Border.”