1 00:00:02,400 --> 00:00:04,760 Speaker 1: Mexico and the US know very well the danger that 2 00:00:04,800 --> 00:00:08,440 Speaker 1: these people are facing their own countries, knowing that they 3 00:00:08,520 --> 00:00:10,880 Speaker 1: made a plan to put these people in some of 4 00:00:10,920 --> 00:00:14,800 Speaker 1: the most dangerous places in Mexico. So something that we 5 00:00:15,000 --> 00:00:20,760 Speaker 1: learned and this report shows is the dark side of humanity. 6 00:00:28,600 --> 00:00:31,640 Speaker 2: From Futuro Media, it's let you know usay. I'm Maria 7 00:00:31,680 --> 00:00:35,640 Speaker 2: inn Posa. Today in Lavoca de Lobo, in the Mouth 8 00:00:35,800 --> 00:00:39,720 Speaker 2: of the Wolf, we hear from Mexican researchers about Mexico's 9 00:00:39,760 --> 00:00:46,800 Speaker 2: failure to protect asylum seekers stuck waiting. This week, President 10 00:00:46,880 --> 00:00:50,000 Speaker 2: Joe Biden was inaugurated as the forty six president of 11 00:00:50,000 --> 00:00:54,240 Speaker 2: the United States. High on his legislative agenda are promises 12 00:00:54,520 --> 00:00:58,080 Speaker 2: to reform the country's immigration system and to attempt to 13 00:00:58,160 --> 00:01:02,880 Speaker 2: undo Donald Trump's most controvert policies. One of those policies 14 00:01:03,080 --> 00:01:08,000 Speaker 2: is the Migrant Protection Protocols known as MPP or the 15 00:01:08,080 --> 00:01:12,320 Speaker 2: Remain in Mexico policy. Under the program, established in January 16 00:01:12,360 --> 00:01:17,039 Speaker 2: of twenty nineteen, nearly sixty eight thousand asylum seekers have 17 00:01:17,160 --> 00:01:20,880 Speaker 2: been ordered to wait in Mexico as their asylum cases 18 00:01:20,920 --> 00:01:24,760 Speaker 2: make their way through the US system. The weight can 19 00:01:24,800 --> 00:01:28,920 Speaker 2: often take years now, and it can often be deadly. 20 00:01:29,640 --> 00:01:32,880 Speaker 2: In fact, that's what I witnessed last year when Latino 21 00:01:32,959 --> 00:01:37,280 Speaker 2: USA visited what is in Mexico's northern border and later 22 00:01:37,360 --> 00:01:41,199 Speaker 2: on Dapachula all the way on the southern border with Guatemala. 23 00:01:42,000 --> 00:01:44,280 Speaker 2: I was there to meet with asylum seekers who were 24 00:01:44,280 --> 00:01:47,880 Speaker 2: living in shelters and in parks on the streets, and 25 00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:52,160 Speaker 2: with Mexican government officials who denied working with the United 26 00:01:52,160 --> 00:01:57,120 Speaker 2: States on immigration policy, even when we were witnessing taking 27 00:01:57,160 --> 00:01:58,960 Speaker 2: place right in front of our eyes. 28 00:02:00,840 --> 00:02:09,679 Speaker 3: CBP receive adies personas o nos cameos and illumero bentiocho. 29 00:02:10,120 --> 00:02:14,000 Speaker 2: CBP will see ten people today, number nineteen thousand, four 30 00:02:14,080 --> 00:02:17,440 Speaker 2: hundred and twenty eight. A Mexican official calls this out 31 00:02:17,480 --> 00:02:18,600 Speaker 2: to a large room. 32 00:02:18,840 --> 00:02:22,720 Speaker 3: Quatra pjuatrocentos trenta. 33 00:02:23,240 --> 00:02:26,600 Speaker 2: The person holding the number approaches the official to say 34 00:02:26,639 --> 00:02:27,240 Speaker 2: that they're here. 35 00:02:27,800 --> 00:02:35,200 Speaker 3: Quatrocentos trent You know quatros quatrores quat. 36 00:02:39,720 --> 00:02:43,720 Speaker 2: Mexican officials won't admit on the record that they're managing 37 00:02:43,760 --> 00:02:47,000 Speaker 2: the list. They know that working with the US on 38 00:02:47,040 --> 00:02:52,920 Speaker 2: this would be controversial. In our two part series The 39 00:02:53,000 --> 00:02:56,359 Speaker 2: Moving Border, we broke down the ways that Mexico had 40 00:02:56,400 --> 00:03:01,040 Speaker 2: become integral in Trump's plan to build the border, even 41 00:03:01,160 --> 00:03:04,280 Speaker 2: if the actual border wall was a paper one built 42 00:03:04,320 --> 00:03:09,840 Speaker 2: on seemingly impenetrable policies. The asylum seekers I met in 43 00:03:09,880 --> 00:03:15,240 Speaker 2: Mexico shared harrowing stories of crime and abuse, and vulnerability 44 00:03:15,240 --> 00:03:20,200 Speaker 2: and desperation, both at the hands of criminals and of 45 00:03:20,240 --> 00:03:24,320 Speaker 2: the police and authorities while waiting in border towns, and 46 00:03:24,440 --> 00:03:27,040 Speaker 2: all of this coupled with the fear of being deported 47 00:03:27,680 --> 00:03:31,360 Speaker 2: by the country that was supposed to be offering them protection. 48 00:03:32,360 --> 00:03:37,920 Speaker 2: After Mexico boasted about its highest number ever of deportations 49 00:03:38,040 --> 00:03:42,200 Speaker 2: in twenty nineteen, a group of Mexican researchers and migrant 50 00:03:42,240 --> 00:03:46,119 Speaker 2: advocates set out to document just how extensive the involvement 51 00:03:46,160 --> 00:03:49,160 Speaker 2: has been between the United States and Mexico and how 52 00:03:49,200 --> 00:03:53,360 Speaker 2: this collaborative effort allows policies like the Remain in Mexico 53 00:03:53,480 --> 00:03:57,680 Speaker 2: program to flourish. Their research is published in a new 54 00:03:57,720 --> 00:04:01,160 Speaker 2: report titled in La Boca de Lobo in the Mouth 55 00:04:01,360 --> 00:04:04,480 Speaker 2: of the Wolf, and it was released last month. Our 56 00:04:04,520 --> 00:04:08,240 Speaker 2: guests today join us from Mexico City. They're Alicia Moncada, 57 00:04:08,320 --> 00:04:11,880 Speaker 2: who's a human rights investigator at the Foundation for Justice 58 00:04:11,960 --> 00:04:15,440 Speaker 2: and the Democratic State of law and Gretchen Kuhner, who's 59 00:04:15,520 --> 00:04:19,520 Speaker 2: director of the Institute for Women in Migration and welcome 60 00:04:19,560 --> 00:04:21,960 Speaker 2: Alicia and Gretchen to Latin New USA. 61 00:04:22,040 --> 00:04:24,440 Speaker 1: Thank you so much, Maria, so that both. 62 00:04:24,279 --> 00:04:26,520 Speaker 2: Of you were part of a group of Mexican researchers 63 00:04:26,560 --> 00:04:31,719 Speaker 2: that led an investigation into the lasting effects of this 64 00:04:31,960 --> 00:04:37,080 Speaker 2: so called Remain in Mexico program, which essentially forces asylum 65 00:04:37,120 --> 00:04:42,160 Speaker 2: seekers to wait in Mexico even though they're actually seeking 66 00:04:42,240 --> 00:04:46,120 Speaker 2: asylum in the United States. Why was it so important 67 00:04:46,160 --> 00:04:48,680 Speaker 2: for you to look into this issue right now? 68 00:04:48,880 --> 00:04:52,159 Speaker 1: Well, Maria, the US and Mexico have been pushing migrant 69 00:04:52,160 --> 00:04:56,640 Speaker 1: policies against the most vulnerable people in our region, people 70 00:04:56,640 --> 00:04:59,080 Speaker 1: who are running from the danger that they face in 71 00:04:59,120 --> 00:05:02,679 Speaker 1: their home countries, people who are seeking for international protection 72 00:05:02,839 --> 00:05:05,840 Speaker 1: so they can stay alive. In this report, we document 73 00:05:06,080 --> 00:05:10,200 Speaker 1: how the US Mexico Joined Declaration and the Migration Agreement, 74 00:05:10,760 --> 00:05:14,239 Speaker 1: as well as these Remaining Mexico program are having human 75 00:05:14,279 --> 00:05:18,840 Speaker 1: effects in terms of human rights violations against assidum seekers. 76 00:05:18,960 --> 00:05:21,720 Speaker 1: Some of these cities on the States have been recognized 77 00:05:21,800 --> 00:05:25,640 Speaker 1: as the most violent places in Mexico, like Tamaulipas, places 78 00:05:25,640 --> 00:05:30,359 Speaker 1: where the US Department does not recommend that American citizens visit. 79 00:05:31,120 --> 00:05:34,680 Speaker 1: So in this report we document cases of violence and 80 00:05:34,839 --> 00:05:40,680 Speaker 1: serious crimes against these people, such as murder, kidnapping, disappearance, 81 00:05:41,520 --> 00:05:45,840 Speaker 1: and multiple forms of gender violence. The Mexican government had 82 00:05:45,880 --> 00:05:49,520 Speaker 1: promised temporary permission for these people to remain in Mexico 83 00:05:49,960 --> 00:05:53,239 Speaker 1: as well as the rights to jobs, health and educations 84 00:05:53,320 --> 00:05:57,279 Speaker 1: while they await the outcomes of their assylum process, but 85 00:05:57,480 --> 00:06:02,839 Speaker 1: has not fulfilled these commitments. So literally they are in 86 00:06:03,040 --> 00:06:04,119 Speaker 1: the mouth of the world. 87 00:06:04,800 --> 00:06:08,760 Speaker 2: What kind of danger are we talking about when we're 88 00:06:08,800 --> 00:06:12,640 Speaker 2: talking about these refugees being in La Boco. 89 00:06:13,000 --> 00:06:16,599 Speaker 4: So we've had cases, you know, of people who are 90 00:06:16,680 --> 00:06:22,119 Speaker 4: in MPP and many of the cases that we've represented, 91 00:06:22,279 --> 00:06:25,840 Speaker 4: the people have been kidnapped, We had a young girl 92 00:06:25,880 --> 00:06:29,920 Speaker 4: who was sexually assaulted, and some people have you know, 93 00:06:29,960 --> 00:06:34,080 Speaker 4: even been murdered. The title of the document comes from 94 00:06:34,080 --> 00:06:36,200 Speaker 4: a direct quote from one of the asylum seekers that 95 00:06:36,240 --> 00:06:39,520 Speaker 4: we interviewed, and I think that he was talking about 96 00:06:39,520 --> 00:06:43,119 Speaker 4: the situation at that time in Nuevo Laredo where people 97 00:06:43,240 --> 00:06:47,200 Speaker 4: were being sent back and literally from the immigration offices 98 00:06:47,200 --> 00:06:49,400 Speaker 4: in Mexico. They were being sent to a bus station 99 00:06:50,040 --> 00:06:53,120 Speaker 4: and the kidnappers were there waiting for them. And what 100 00:06:53,279 --> 00:06:58,000 Speaker 4: happens is that people are taken to homes in remote 101 00:06:58,040 --> 00:07:01,640 Speaker 4: places and then they're family members in the United States 102 00:07:01,680 --> 00:07:06,520 Speaker 4: are contacted, and so we started collecting some videos and 103 00:07:06,760 --> 00:07:10,080 Speaker 4: audio tapes of the families would take in the US 104 00:07:10,760 --> 00:07:13,320 Speaker 4: of the kidnappers talking to them and telling where to 105 00:07:13,360 --> 00:07:14,000 Speaker 4: send them money. 106 00:07:14,840 --> 00:07:18,360 Speaker 2: You spent a year in research talking with people. I mean, 107 00:07:18,520 --> 00:07:20,880 Speaker 2: you were prepared to hear some of the horror stories, 108 00:07:20,920 --> 00:07:23,000 Speaker 2: but was there something that just really took you aback. 109 00:07:23,600 --> 00:07:25,960 Speaker 1: Mexico and the US know very well the danger that 110 00:07:25,960 --> 00:07:29,200 Speaker 1: these people are facing their own countries, and knowing that 111 00:07:29,440 --> 00:07:31,920 Speaker 1: they made a plan to put these people in some 112 00:07:32,000 --> 00:07:35,640 Speaker 1: of the most dangerous places in Mexico. So something that 113 00:07:35,960 --> 00:07:40,679 Speaker 1: we learned and this report shows is the dark side 114 00:07:40,720 --> 00:07:44,800 Speaker 1: of humanity. Remind us of the very dangerous periods of 115 00:07:44,920 --> 00:07:48,720 Speaker 1: history where those in powered desire, who deserve to live, 116 00:07:48,840 --> 00:07:53,080 Speaker 1: and who deserve to die or live under these inhuman conditions. 117 00:07:53,400 --> 00:07:55,920 Speaker 1: And we saw the courage of boys, girls, mothers and 118 00:07:56,000 --> 00:07:58,360 Speaker 1: fathers that are trying hard to save their life and 119 00:07:58,400 --> 00:08:02,760 Speaker 1: their families. So we wanted to expose this consequence, the 120 00:08:02,800 --> 00:08:06,600 Speaker 1: consequences of remain in Mexico, and that is definitely a 121 00:08:06,640 --> 00:08:10,640 Speaker 1: measure and was designed to make legal processes more difficult. 122 00:08:11,160 --> 00:08:13,760 Speaker 1: We are also very surprised by the complicity of the 123 00:08:13,800 --> 00:08:17,440 Speaker 1: Mexican government in the strategy created by the Trauma administration. 124 00:08:17,960 --> 00:08:21,080 Speaker 4: And one of the things that was most surprising to 125 00:08:21,200 --> 00:08:24,920 Speaker 4: me was the Mexican government started paying for buses to 126 00:08:25,040 --> 00:08:28,960 Speaker 4: basically ship people to the Mexican Guatemalan border where they 127 00:08:29,000 --> 00:08:31,840 Speaker 4: could self deport. I mean, they did everything except to 128 00:08:31,880 --> 00:08:34,320 Speaker 4: push them back over the border. And the reason that 129 00:08:34,400 --> 00:08:36,280 Speaker 4: they said that they were doing this is because people 130 00:08:36,320 --> 00:08:40,600 Speaker 4: were in so much danger, especially in Monterrey because of 131 00:08:40,640 --> 00:08:41,520 Speaker 4: the kidnappings. 132 00:08:41,720 --> 00:08:45,240 Speaker 2: Did you find that Mexico violated any of its own 133 00:08:45,559 --> 00:08:50,520 Speaker 2: national laws or international laws in the remain in Mexico policy. 134 00:08:50,920 --> 00:08:56,319 Speaker 4: So the MPP program is basically like a transfer agreement, 135 00:08:56,640 --> 00:09:01,000 Speaker 4: and transfer agreements internationally when they occur or have to 136 00:09:01,120 --> 00:09:06,200 Speaker 4: include guarantees for due process. What we found was that 137 00:09:06,679 --> 00:09:10,880 Speaker 4: Mexico knew that this agreement was going to violate due 138 00:09:10,880 --> 00:09:14,040 Speaker 4: process right. What's a due process right That you have 139 00:09:14,160 --> 00:09:17,760 Speaker 4: information that you understand your procedure, that you can have 140 00:09:18,000 --> 00:09:22,320 Speaker 4: access to legal representation, that you can have communication that 141 00:09:22,600 --> 00:09:25,400 Speaker 4: you know things are explained to you in your own 142 00:09:25,480 --> 00:09:30,720 Speaker 4: language that you have, you know, time to explain what 143 00:09:30,800 --> 00:09:34,040 Speaker 4: has happened to you, why you left, that you're in conditions, 144 00:09:34,320 --> 00:09:37,240 Speaker 4: you know, and what you're not, you know, completely terrified 145 00:09:37,280 --> 00:09:40,400 Speaker 4: for your own life while you're trying to apply for 146 00:09:40,480 --> 00:09:43,800 Speaker 4: asylum at the same time. And so what we did 147 00:09:44,120 --> 00:09:48,880 Speaker 4: was we filed a lawsuit in April of twenty nineteen, 148 00:09:50,080 --> 00:09:54,240 Speaker 4: you know, against the Mexican government's participation in an MPP 149 00:09:55,240 --> 00:09:58,080 Speaker 4: which is now sitting at the Mexican Supreme Court. 150 00:09:58,960 --> 00:09:59,880 Speaker 1: And we are are. 151 00:10:00,040 --> 00:10:05,400 Speaker 4: Doing that Mexico violated due process rights, non rufumont guarantees 152 00:10:05,440 --> 00:10:09,720 Speaker 4: and family unity and a whole string of other rights 153 00:10:09,720 --> 00:10:12,080 Speaker 4: that people would have just as basic human rights, such 154 00:10:12,080 --> 00:10:17,679 Speaker 4: as access to housing, healthcare, education for their children. And 155 00:10:17,760 --> 00:10:21,280 Speaker 4: so that lawsuit is sitting there now. And as Alicia says, 156 00:10:21,360 --> 00:10:25,160 Speaker 4: you know, we've also filed litigation against, you know, the 157 00:10:25,280 --> 00:10:29,840 Speaker 4: legality of a national guard participating in immigration enforcement actions, 158 00:10:30,240 --> 00:10:33,000 Speaker 4: and that's sitting at the Mexican Supreme Court as well. 159 00:10:33,480 --> 00:10:37,480 Speaker 4: So I think that the violations of the Mexican Constitution 160 00:10:37,679 --> 00:10:39,480 Speaker 4: and other laws is very clear. 161 00:10:43,840 --> 00:10:48,000 Speaker 2: Coming up on Latino USA, the rise of COVID nineteen 162 00:10:48,480 --> 00:10:53,360 Speaker 2: and how Mexico's populis president, who once campaigned for migrants' rights, 163 00:10:53,920 --> 00:11:41,840 Speaker 2: has set a new record for deportations. Stay with us, Yes, hey, 164 00:11:41,920 --> 00:11:48,800 Speaker 2: we're back. Before the break, we were speaking with Mexican 165 00:11:48,840 --> 00:11:53,280 Speaker 2: researchers Alicia Monada and Gretchen Kuhner about their new report 166 00:11:53,360 --> 00:11:56,600 Speaker 2: titled La Boca the Lobo The Mouth of the Wolf. 167 00:11:57,040 --> 00:12:00,240 Speaker 2: It breaks down the ways Trump's so called Remain in 168 00:12:00,280 --> 00:12:04,840 Speaker 2: Mexico policy has placed asylum seekers in life threatening danger 169 00:12:05,240 --> 00:12:13,640 Speaker 2: as they wait for their US cases in Mexico. When 170 00:12:13,679 --> 00:12:15,920 Speaker 2: we were down in Mexico reporting one year ago in 171 00:12:15,920 --> 00:12:17,960 Speaker 2: the beginning of twenty twenty, we had no idea what 172 00:12:18,080 --> 00:12:22,120 Speaker 2: was about to come. And COVID nineteen really has altered 173 00:12:22,280 --> 00:12:25,280 Speaker 2: everything in the entire world, but very specifically. One of 174 00:12:25,320 --> 00:12:28,320 Speaker 2: the things that you mentioned in your report is that 175 00:12:28,440 --> 00:12:32,000 Speaker 2: various health organizations are citing the failure of the Mexican 176 00:12:32,040 --> 00:12:36,959 Speaker 2: government to specifically protect asylum seekers from exposure to COVID 177 00:12:37,440 --> 00:12:40,160 Speaker 2: as they are forced to wait in Mexico. So, how 178 00:12:40,200 --> 00:12:43,480 Speaker 2: has COVID nineteen basically changed the picture. 179 00:12:44,200 --> 00:12:47,079 Speaker 4: One of the things that the US did in March 180 00:12:47,880 --> 00:12:52,160 Speaker 4: was to start implementing this Center for Disease Control Order 181 00:12:52,520 --> 00:12:57,679 Speaker 4: allowing the US government to expel people immediately who were 182 00:12:57,720 --> 00:13:01,680 Speaker 4: crossing the border, and then Mexico co agreed to accept 183 00:13:01,880 --> 00:13:06,120 Speaker 4: up to one hundred Central Americans per day as part 184 00:13:06,120 --> 00:13:10,360 Speaker 4: of those people being expelled. That was a pretext for 185 00:13:10,760 --> 00:13:13,960 Speaker 4: you know, allowing the US to send people back without 186 00:13:13,960 --> 00:13:19,480 Speaker 4: having asylum screening, just this like summary expulsions. And the 187 00:13:19,840 --> 00:13:24,320 Speaker 4: Mexican government has also participated, you know, by accepting Central 188 00:13:24,320 --> 00:13:28,760 Speaker 4: Americans and then detaining them and lots of times supporting them. 189 00:13:29,160 --> 00:13:32,480 Speaker 4: People who are in MPP who have also had their 190 00:13:32,559 --> 00:13:36,440 Speaker 4: hearings postponed until further notice. And so you have twenty 191 00:13:36,480 --> 00:13:39,800 Speaker 4: four thousand people who are still in proceedings right now 192 00:13:39,880 --> 00:13:43,640 Speaker 4: under MPP, you know, who have had their hearings postponed, 193 00:13:44,080 --> 00:13:46,439 Speaker 4: and so that's been a horrible thing for them because 194 00:13:46,480 --> 00:13:49,839 Speaker 4: they've had to wait out, you know, the whole entire 195 00:13:49,960 --> 00:13:54,880 Speaker 4: process in Mexico with COVID, you know, some of them 196 00:13:54,920 --> 00:13:57,760 Speaker 4: living in shelters, and with those people who are an 197 00:13:57,800 --> 00:14:01,680 Speaker 4: MPP who have managed to work and rent rooms, some 198 00:14:01,720 --> 00:14:03,440 Speaker 4: of them have lost their jobs and then they've tried 199 00:14:03,480 --> 00:14:05,840 Speaker 4: to go to shelters, but the shelters are then closed 200 00:14:05,880 --> 00:14:10,800 Speaker 4: as well because of COVID, and so it's been a horrible, 201 00:14:10,840 --> 00:14:15,120 Speaker 4: horrible situation for you know, people waiting under MPP because 202 00:14:15,160 --> 00:14:17,920 Speaker 4: I don't have anywhere to go. It's been impossible for 203 00:14:18,040 --> 00:14:20,240 Speaker 4: us to know, you know, what's happening in terms of 204 00:14:20,280 --> 00:14:23,760 Speaker 4: how many people have actually had COVID nineteen who are 205 00:14:24,120 --> 00:14:28,800 Speaker 4: in MPP. But you know, Mexico has basically been under 206 00:14:28,840 --> 00:14:32,480 Speaker 4: lockdown since March and the states along the border where 207 00:14:32,480 --> 00:14:36,960 Speaker 4: people are waiting are still under this you know, level 208 00:14:37,080 --> 00:14:40,800 Speaker 4: of alert that's very high. But the Mexican government hasn't 209 00:14:40,880 --> 00:14:44,200 Speaker 4: had a specific program to help people in terms of 210 00:14:44,320 --> 00:14:45,560 Speaker 4: you know, accessing healthcare. 211 00:14:46,200 --> 00:14:49,240 Speaker 2: How much is it actually a part of Mexican history 212 00:14:49,280 --> 00:14:53,600 Speaker 2: to treat asylum seekers in this way or is this 213 00:14:54,200 --> 00:14:57,440 Speaker 2: is this new in a response to this particular set 214 00:14:57,480 --> 00:14:58,520 Speaker 2: of policies right now. 215 00:14:58,920 --> 00:15:02,800 Speaker 4: The issue of immigrants has been on the bilateral agenda 216 00:15:02,960 --> 00:15:06,480 Speaker 4: for decades and decades, and what's changed is that Central 217 00:15:06,520 --> 00:15:10,920 Speaker 4: Americans have been leaving, especially Guatemala, hunters and El Salvador, 218 00:15:11,520 --> 00:15:15,359 Speaker 4: in much bigger numbers, and that these people are refugees. 219 00:15:15,600 --> 00:15:18,600 Speaker 4: You know, this whole issue of treating people like criminals 220 00:15:18,640 --> 00:15:22,160 Speaker 4: because they're fleeing from violence is something that I think 221 00:15:22,280 --> 00:15:25,440 Speaker 4: in our imaginations we have to change. These are people 222 00:15:25,520 --> 00:15:28,320 Speaker 4: who they are not able to live in their countries 223 00:15:28,320 --> 00:15:31,080 Speaker 4: any longer, and so there must be something, you know, 224 00:15:31,120 --> 00:15:34,720 Speaker 4: that we can do collectively to help these people. Mexico 225 00:15:34,840 --> 00:15:37,640 Speaker 4: has an asylum system, and they actually have sixty five 226 00:15:37,680 --> 00:15:40,800 Speaker 4: thousand cases that are pending as well, and the number 227 00:15:40,880 --> 00:15:44,200 Speaker 4: of people from Central America you know, who are requesting 228 00:15:44,240 --> 00:15:47,600 Speaker 4: asylum or applying for asylum in Mexico has also gone 229 00:15:47,720 --> 00:15:51,040 Speaker 4: up tremendously in the last several years. 230 00:15:51,520 --> 00:15:53,520 Speaker 2: So one of the things that we were looking at 231 00:15:53,640 --> 00:15:56,440 Speaker 2: when we did our series of reports was the shift 232 00:15:56,480 --> 00:16:00,520 Speaker 2: from Mexican President Manuel Lopez o Radord and his campaign 233 00:16:00,720 --> 00:16:05,560 Speaker 2: promises of humane protection for asylum seekers. And then compare 234 00:16:05,560 --> 00:16:11,640 Speaker 2: that to what actually happened, which essentially is a partnership 235 00:16:11,640 --> 00:16:15,320 Speaker 2: of sorts between a so called leftist president Andres Manuel 236 00:16:15,360 --> 00:16:20,600 Speaker 2: Lopez o Brador and President Trump. And that sounds like 237 00:16:20,640 --> 00:16:23,320 Speaker 2: a bit of a strange kind of partnership, and yet 238 00:16:23,440 --> 00:16:27,600 Speaker 2: in fact it has occurred and it has allowed these 239 00:16:27,640 --> 00:16:30,320 Speaker 2: policies essentially to flourish. 240 00:16:30,960 --> 00:16:35,840 Speaker 1: So what happened, the Mexican government explanation is the possible 241 00:16:35,920 --> 00:16:40,360 Speaker 1: danger to our economy This is because the trudministration trending 242 00:16:40,560 --> 00:16:45,600 Speaker 1: to impose this stariff on Mexican sports if Mexico did 243 00:16:45,720 --> 00:16:48,880 Speaker 1: not stop the migratory flow to the United States. It 244 00:16:49,000 --> 00:16:52,840 Speaker 1: was within this context that the US Mexico Declaration was born. 245 00:16:53,000 --> 00:16:58,720 Speaker 1: This ultimatic forced Mexico to choose between these severe economic 246 00:16:58,760 --> 00:17:04,960 Speaker 1: ratifications or continue human rights violations against migrants, and sadly, 247 00:17:05,119 --> 00:17:09,400 Speaker 1: they chose the latter. Mexico decide to use the most 248 00:17:09,480 --> 00:17:13,480 Speaker 1: lethal force the army, to detain at the antiport migrants. 249 00:17:13,800 --> 00:17:16,720 Speaker 1: As a result, we are seeing a huge increase of 250 00:17:16,760 --> 00:17:21,360 Speaker 1: migrant deportation without any considerations of their needs for international protection. 251 00:17:21,840 --> 00:17:26,200 Speaker 1: We are seeing that Mexico is collaborating to build Trump's 252 00:17:26,240 --> 00:17:26,840 Speaker 1: border world. 253 00:17:27,440 --> 00:17:32,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, and so let's talk about the wall. What does 254 00:17:32,720 --> 00:17:36,800 Speaker 2: exist now is an extraordinary militarization of the border and 255 00:17:37,000 --> 00:17:42,399 Speaker 2: essentially looking at people seeking asylum through a prism of 256 00:17:42,520 --> 00:17:47,320 Speaker 2: essentially national security as opposed to what it is, which 257 00:17:47,359 --> 00:17:50,560 Speaker 2: is a human rights issue. President Trump deployed thousands of 258 00:17:50,640 --> 00:17:54,720 Speaker 2: troops to the southern US border. You know, this is 259 00:17:55,040 --> 00:17:56,960 Speaker 2: along the time when we were hearing about the so 260 00:17:57,119 --> 00:18:02,440 Speaker 2: called caravans that was followed by by Mexican President Armlo's 261 00:18:02,480 --> 00:18:07,760 Speaker 2: own deployment of the newly created Guardia national to assist 262 00:18:07,840 --> 00:18:15,000 Speaker 2: in immigration enforcement in Mexico's own southern border. So increasingly Mexico, 263 00:18:15,600 --> 00:18:19,720 Speaker 2: it seems to me, is mirroring the United States in 264 00:18:19,800 --> 00:18:24,119 Speaker 2: terms of its immigration policies. So do you perceive the 265 00:18:24,160 --> 00:18:24,720 Speaker 2: same thing. 266 00:18:25,359 --> 00:18:30,520 Speaker 1: So what happened in twoy eighteen, the phenomenon of the 267 00:18:30,560 --> 00:18:35,680 Speaker 1: caravans allowed Trump to justify this militarization plan. He sent 268 00:18:35,880 --> 00:18:39,440 Speaker 1: the US and more than five thousand, two hundred military 269 00:18:40,160 --> 00:18:45,000 Speaker 1: soldiers in this operation, focusing on the borders of Texas, Arizona, 270 00:18:45,000 --> 00:18:47,560 Speaker 1: and California. For the same reason, we call say that 271 00:18:48,200 --> 00:18:53,560 Speaker 1: Mexico decided to send more than six thousand members of 272 00:18:53,600 --> 00:18:58,320 Speaker 1: the National Guard to the border shared by Mexico Gatemala 273 00:18:58,920 --> 00:19:04,320 Speaker 1: in June of nineteen, and before the month was over, 274 00:19:04,920 --> 00:19:10,640 Speaker 1: the Mexico sent fifty thousand soldiers and police agents to 275 00:19:10,119 --> 00:19:13,840 Speaker 1: the southern border because of this commitment with the United 276 00:19:13,880 --> 00:19:18,199 Speaker 1: States to reduce the flow of migrants. And now we 277 00:19:18,320 --> 00:19:22,240 Speaker 1: have more than two one hundred and fifty thousand soldiers 278 00:19:22,280 --> 00:19:27,359 Speaker 1: employed because of the execution of this containment strategy for 279 00:19:27,480 --> 00:19:33,840 Speaker 1: COVID nineteen. So the increase. The increased military presence generates 280 00:19:34,600 --> 00:19:40,800 Speaker 1: many negative consequences for migrants, including death and greater limitation 281 00:19:40,920 --> 00:19:44,280 Speaker 1: of their human rights, especially in the portation in terms 282 00:19:44,320 --> 00:19:49,240 Speaker 1: of deportation. By December of twenty nineteen, the Mexican authorities 283 00:19:49,359 --> 00:19:55,000 Speaker 1: proudly stated that the National Guard have facilitated the reduction 284 00:19:55,280 --> 00:20:00,159 Speaker 1: of the most important migratory flow in recent decades, a 285 00:20:00,200 --> 00:20:06,080 Speaker 1: reduction rate of seventy percent. So we know that in 286 00:20:06,119 --> 00:20:10,920 Speaker 1: twenty nineteen Mexico broke its historical record of deportation. It 287 00:20:11,000 --> 00:20:14,840 Speaker 1: is because of this massive deployer of the National Goal. 288 00:20:15,480 --> 00:20:20,800 Speaker 2: Right, So I have a feeling that the Mexican president 289 00:20:22,800 --> 00:20:25,760 Speaker 2: would probably take offense and not like it at all 290 00:20:25,880 --> 00:20:30,320 Speaker 2: when you say that he has actually built and become 291 00:20:30,800 --> 00:20:31,680 Speaker 2: Trump's border wall. 292 00:20:32,040 --> 00:20:34,680 Speaker 4: Yeah. When you talk to the Mexican government, what they 293 00:20:34,720 --> 00:20:38,120 Speaker 4: say is that it was a new government and they 294 00:20:38,119 --> 00:20:42,080 Speaker 4: were receiving a lot of pressure from the Trump administration 295 00:20:42,359 --> 00:20:45,760 Speaker 4: to sign as a third country agreement, and so MPP 296 00:20:46,240 --> 00:20:49,480 Speaker 4: was something that was offered kind of as Okay, this 297 00:20:49,520 --> 00:20:51,520 Speaker 4: is what we'll give you because we're not going to 298 00:20:51,560 --> 00:20:54,520 Speaker 4: sign a say, third country agreement. And I think that 299 00:20:54,720 --> 00:20:59,000 Speaker 4: along the way, the instruction from Manuel O Peese, Brodor was, 300 00:20:59,800 --> 00:21:02,560 Speaker 4: we are not going to enter into any type of 301 00:21:02,680 --> 00:21:06,959 Speaker 4: escalation or controversy with President Trump, and so we are 302 00:21:06,960 --> 00:21:09,840 Speaker 4: going to do what we need to do to you know, 303 00:21:09,920 --> 00:21:14,480 Speaker 4: make sure that there's no tension between her countries. And 304 00:21:14,640 --> 00:21:17,520 Speaker 4: if that takes, you know, sending out the national Guard 305 00:21:17,640 --> 00:21:20,640 Speaker 4: to stop people from coming in, then that's what we'll 306 00:21:20,680 --> 00:21:23,479 Speaker 4: have to do because there are you know, other issues 307 00:21:23,520 --> 00:21:25,960 Speaker 4: such as the economy that are at stake. 308 00:21:26,520 --> 00:21:28,679 Speaker 2: All right, So a few days after your report was 309 00:21:28,680 --> 00:21:32,840 Speaker 2: published in Mexico, the President of Mexico, Lopez Bradora, was 310 00:21:32,880 --> 00:21:35,280 Speaker 2: asked by a local reporter about it. He said he 311 00:21:35,359 --> 00:21:38,040 Speaker 2: wasn't aware of the report and then added that Mexico 312 00:21:38,080 --> 00:21:41,919 Speaker 2: has always protected asylum seekers. Then he also said that 313 00:21:42,000 --> 00:21:45,080 Speaker 2: Mexico never had a deal with the United States in 314 00:21:45,160 --> 00:21:48,440 Speaker 2: terms of immigration. Here's a clip from his response. 315 00:21:52,800 --> 00:22:04,960 Speaker 5: No, it's the funa, this is you and innings nada 316 00:22:06,560 --> 00:22:15,000 Speaker 5: almost not almost colonia, the num loss. 317 00:22:15,080 --> 00:22:18,720 Speaker 2: Mexico is doing what it wants. He says, we're not puppets, 318 00:22:18,880 --> 00:22:21,439 Speaker 2: We're not a colony, and then he actually goes on 319 00:22:21,480 --> 00:22:24,360 Speaker 2: to say something else. He says, basically, he's really happy 320 00:22:24,920 --> 00:22:27,680 Speaker 2: with what's happening. In terms of the remaining Mexico policy, 321 00:22:28,440 --> 00:22:31,760 Speaker 2: because then he says that now the Mexican government is 322 00:22:31,840 --> 00:22:37,440 Speaker 2: actually protecting migrants, taking care of them like they weren't 323 00:22:37,440 --> 00:22:39,480 Speaker 2: taking care of before. 324 00:22:42,800 --> 00:22:51,760 Speaker 5: Dio phenomenon migratorio no a la vido comantis says sinatus 325 00:22:51,800 --> 00:23:01,000 Speaker 5: migrantis comoa andormente pour que no are You're not politica, 326 00:23:01,680 --> 00:23:02,960 Speaker 5: you know'st here. 327 00:23:03,640 --> 00:23:06,159 Speaker 2: I mean, for those of us who have been on 328 00:23:06,200 --> 00:23:09,480 Speaker 2: the ground and who have spoken to people seeking asylum 329 00:23:09,480 --> 00:23:12,640 Speaker 2: and on the borders, this is a very different way 330 00:23:12,680 --> 00:23:15,520 Speaker 2: of seeing the world. What do you want to say 331 00:23:15,720 --> 00:23:19,280 Speaker 2: to President Lopez o Rador and his reaction to your 332 00:23:19,320 --> 00:23:21,479 Speaker 2: own fact finding report. 333 00:23:21,800 --> 00:23:25,480 Speaker 4: It's really unfortunate because he has a total disconnect with reality. 334 00:23:26,040 --> 00:23:28,240 Speaker 4: And I mean, I think for the organizations that are 335 00:23:28,280 --> 00:23:31,160 Speaker 4: working on the ground or working on litigation in Mexico, 336 00:23:31,800 --> 00:23:33,800 Speaker 4: you know, it's something that we're used to hearing. It's 337 00:23:33,840 --> 00:23:36,879 Speaker 4: because of pressure we you know, comply with human rights. 338 00:23:36,880 --> 00:23:38,880 Speaker 4: Those are the kinds of you know, rhetoric that we're 339 00:23:38,960 --> 00:23:41,480 Speaker 4: used to listening to. You know, we're not political. We 340 00:23:41,600 --> 00:23:46,080 Speaker 4: transcend administrations, presidents, et cetera. But you know, for the 341 00:23:46,160 --> 00:23:50,439 Speaker 4: people who have been kidnapped the people who have been raped, 342 00:23:50,600 --> 00:23:52,919 Speaker 4: the people who have been separated from their families, the 343 00:23:52,920 --> 00:23:56,119 Speaker 4: people who have been suffering. I just think that, you know, 344 00:23:56,160 --> 00:24:01,080 Speaker 4: it's just a tremendous insult and I don't know even 345 00:24:01,080 --> 00:24:04,680 Speaker 4: know what the word is, non recognition, negation of Actually 346 00:24:04,760 --> 00:24:08,440 Speaker 4: you know what the Mexican government has cost by complying 347 00:24:08,480 --> 00:24:12,040 Speaker 4: with MPP. I mean, at no point they said this 348 00:24:12,080 --> 00:24:14,080 Speaker 4: is too much, you know, we can't do it anymore. 349 00:24:14,119 --> 00:24:16,000 Speaker 4: We have to fix this problem. There are so many 350 00:24:16,000 --> 00:24:18,879 Speaker 4: things that they could have done along the way to 351 00:24:18,960 --> 00:24:22,119 Speaker 4: push back, and the Mexican government hasn't done that. And 352 00:24:22,160 --> 00:24:24,880 Speaker 4: so the only way that we can think of for 353 00:24:25,119 --> 00:24:28,439 Speaker 4: the Mexican government to have any kind of consequences for 354 00:24:28,560 --> 00:24:31,480 Speaker 4: this whole situation is through the litigation. And the other 355 00:24:31,520 --> 00:24:35,760 Speaker 4: thing that we decided to do was to file federal 356 00:24:35,800 --> 00:24:38,480 Speaker 4: criminal complaint, which we also filed the same day that 357 00:24:38,520 --> 00:24:41,560 Speaker 4: we presented the report, because we just felt like there 358 00:24:41,560 --> 00:24:45,320 Speaker 4: were so many people who had been kidnapped or who 359 00:24:45,320 --> 00:24:48,960 Speaker 4: had been raped and never had the opportunity to file 360 00:24:48,960 --> 00:24:52,440 Speaker 4: a criminal complaint locally because they were so scared. 361 00:24:53,200 --> 00:24:56,119 Speaker 2: We've been talking about what Mexico can and should do, 362 00:24:57,000 --> 00:25:01,040 Speaker 2: but really in terms of these polici. It starts in 363 00:25:01,080 --> 00:25:05,120 Speaker 2: the United States. Let's talk for a moment about what 364 00:25:05,240 --> 00:25:08,879 Speaker 2: you would like to see the Biden administration do in 365 00:25:09,000 --> 00:25:13,320 Speaker 2: terms of actually helping to have an impact on the 366 00:25:13,359 --> 00:25:15,680 Speaker 2: lives of people who right now are stuck in Mexico. 367 00:25:16,240 --> 00:25:19,160 Speaker 4: The first thing to do would be to eliminate the program, 368 00:25:19,240 --> 00:25:21,560 Speaker 4: that is, to stop sending people back so that there 369 00:25:21,600 --> 00:25:26,000 Speaker 4: aren't any more new cases. And then with the approximately 370 00:25:26,040 --> 00:25:28,920 Speaker 4: twenty four thousand people whose cases are still open, who 371 00:25:29,080 --> 00:25:33,639 Speaker 4: probably living along the Mexico US border, what we would 372 00:25:33,680 --> 00:25:36,320 Speaker 4: like to see happen is for the US government to 373 00:25:36,480 --> 00:25:40,720 Speaker 4: paroll those people in so that they can wait out 374 00:25:40,840 --> 00:25:44,040 Speaker 4: their cases, their asylum cases within the United States. And 375 00:25:44,119 --> 00:25:47,400 Speaker 4: then we would also hope that all of the people 376 00:25:47,720 --> 00:25:50,800 Speaker 4: who had to abandon their case but are still in 377 00:25:50,840 --> 00:25:54,440 Speaker 4: the system, we're hoping that the Biden administration can give 378 00:25:54,480 --> 00:25:58,879 Speaker 4: those people another opportunity to seek asylum in the US. 379 00:25:59,200 --> 00:26:03,480 Speaker 2: What's your reaction to President Biden saying you're going to 380 00:26:03,560 --> 00:26:07,960 Speaker 2: have to wait for potentially six more months to be 381 00:26:08,040 --> 00:26:11,840 Speaker 2: in a situation that many of these people seeking asylums 382 00:26:11,840 --> 00:26:15,000 Speaker 2: say is just untenable and frightening and scary. 383 00:26:16,080 --> 00:26:18,880 Speaker 4: I would say to President Biden that MPP, the people 384 00:26:18,880 --> 00:26:22,440 Speaker 4: who are waiting under MPP have already waited much much 385 00:26:22,480 --> 00:26:27,080 Speaker 4: longer than any asylum claim would normally take, and they're 386 00:26:27,080 --> 00:26:31,479 Speaker 4: living in these precarious, horrible conditions, and that ending MPP 387 00:26:31,760 --> 00:26:34,119 Speaker 4: in particular has to be a priority. 388 00:26:34,760 --> 00:26:38,240 Speaker 1: I think, adding to what Gretchen said, one of the 389 00:26:38,560 --> 00:26:42,000 Speaker 1: Bident concerns is racial justice. Now, this is also a 390 00:26:42,080 --> 00:26:46,199 Speaker 1: racial justice issue. We are talking about guaranteed rights to 391 00:26:46,280 --> 00:26:49,439 Speaker 1: people who have historically been denied the rights and that 392 00:26:49,680 --> 00:26:54,600 Speaker 1: are escaping discrimination and inequalities. So my hope is that 393 00:26:55,040 --> 00:26:59,359 Speaker 1: if the racial justice is a concern, will take this 394 00:27:00,119 --> 00:27:03,240 Speaker 1: situation with Remaining Mexico in consideration. Now is the time 395 00:27:03,320 --> 00:27:04,159 Speaker 1: for dismounting this. 396 00:27:07,080 --> 00:27:09,320 Speaker 2: Alicia and Gretchen, thank you so much for speaking with 397 00:27:09,359 --> 00:27:12,360 Speaker 2: me and for doing this very important work. I really 398 00:27:12,400 --> 00:27:13,040 Speaker 2: appreciate it. 399 00:27:13,240 --> 00:27:14,440 Speaker 4: Thank you, Madie, thank you. 400 00:27:16,720 --> 00:27:19,520 Speaker 2: And we have a very important update that took place 401 00:27:19,640 --> 00:27:23,720 Speaker 2: after this interview was taped. On President Biden's inauguration day, 402 00:27:23,760 --> 00:27:27,320 Speaker 2: the Department of Homeland Security announced the end of MPP 403 00:27:27,760 --> 00:27:31,480 Speaker 2: or the Remain in Mexico policy, suspending new enrollments in 404 00:27:31,520 --> 00:27:35,840 Speaker 2: the program. As of Thursday, people currently under the MPP 405 00:27:36,240 --> 00:27:41,360 Speaker 2: Migrant Protection Protocols program must remain where they are pending 406 00:27:41,520 --> 00:27:46,199 Speaker 2: further official information. COVID nineteen non essential travel restrictions at 407 00:27:46,200 --> 00:28:03,119 Speaker 2: the border were kept in place. This episode was produced 408 00:28:03,119 --> 00:28:06,520 Speaker 2: by Julieta Martinelli with help from Reinaldo Leanos Junior, and 409 00:28:06,640 --> 00:28:10,600 Speaker 2: edited by Andrea Lopez Grusavo. The Latino USA team includes 410 00:28:10,920 --> 00:28:16,040 Speaker 2: Niel Masis, Alises carce Gini montalbo, Alejandra Saasad and Julia Rocha, 411 00:28:16,280 --> 00:28:19,760 Speaker 2: with help from Marta Martinez and Raoul Perees. Our engineers 412 00:28:19,760 --> 00:28:23,240 Speaker 2: are Stephanie LAbau, Julia Caruso and Liah Shaw, with help 413 00:28:23,280 --> 00:28:27,000 Speaker 2: from Elishiba YouTube. Our digital editor is Luis Luna. Our 414 00:28:27,040 --> 00:28:30,760 Speaker 2: interns are Samantha Friedman and Carl Rubin. Our theme music 415 00:28:30,880 --> 00:28:33,560 Speaker 2: was composed by Zenie Robinos. If you like the music 416 00:28:33,600 --> 00:28:36,680 Speaker 2: you heard on this episode, stop by Latinousa dot org 417 00:28:36,880 --> 00:28:40,040 Speaker 2: and check out our weekly Spotify playlist. I'm your host 418 00:28:40,120 --> 00:28:43,080 Speaker 2: and executive producer Marienno Posa. Join us again on our 419 00:28:43,120 --> 00:28:45,600 Speaker 2: next episode. In the meantime, look for us on all 420 00:28:45,640 --> 00:28:48,240 Speaker 2: of your social media. AI los veo c Ciao. 421 00:28:52,160 --> 00:28:56,280 Speaker 6: Latino USA is made possible in part by the John D. 422 00:28:56,560 --> 00:29:00,960 Speaker 6: And Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Ford Foundation, working with 423 00:29:01,120 --> 00:29:05,160 Speaker 6: visionaries on the front lines of social change worldwide, and 424 00:29:05,800 --> 00:29:06,920 Speaker 6: the wind Coat Foundation. 425 00:29:11,040 --> 00:29:12,680 Speaker 2: Oh, I'll tell you Maria is happy that we don't 426 00:29:12,680 --> 00:29:13,480 Speaker 2: have to show faces. 427 00:29:13,520 --> 00:29:14,000 Speaker 4: That's true. 428 00:29:17,040 --> 00:29:21,440 Speaker 2: I'm Maria Hosam. Next time on Latino USA. Fifty years 429 00:29:21,480 --> 00:29:24,760 Speaker 2: after President Nixon declared a so called war on drugs, 430 00:29:25,000 --> 00:29:28,200 Speaker 2: the US isn't any closer to winning it. We talk 431 00:29:28,240 --> 00:29:32,560 Speaker 2: about the movement for drug decriminalization and why no victory 432 00:29:32,640 --> 00:29:36,920 Speaker 2: is possible without health and social justice. That's next time 433 00:29:36,960 --> 00:29:37,959 Speaker 2: on Latino USA.