Mexico President reiterates stance over US immigration policy, says ‘can’t go on forever’

Mexico President Andrés Manuel Lopez Obrador, on August 26, Thursday, reiterated his stance over the US immigration policy and noted, “it can’t go on forever", asking the Joe Biden administration to investigate the bottom of the issue. He said to exert attention to the development of Central America to stop emigration. However, Mexico President asserted to continue helping the United States on the immigration issue. “We have taken it upon ourselves to help the U.S. government on the immigration issue; we are going to continue to do so,” Lopez Obrador said.

Mexican president on issue of US migrants

“We have tried to keep migrants in shelters, above all to protect minors, women,” the Mexican president said. “But this can’t go on forever, we have to get to the bottom of the issue, and that means investing in the development of poor countries.” His statement is considered as a reference to Mexico's mass tree-planting program in Central America. According to the Mexico planting policy, it pays farmers to plant fruit and timber species. Over the years, Mexican citizens have widely criticised the policy as several media reports show farmers cutting down existing trees to be paid for planting new ones. 

Biden government to restore Trump-era policy

It is worth mentioning that Mexico is not constitutionally obliged to receive the US policy of exporting non-Mexican refuge seekers back across the border. However, it allowed non-Mexicans to be sent back under the administration of former US President Donald Trump, but Mexican officials haven’t said if they will allow it to resume. Recently, the US Supreme Court rejected to prevent a lower-court ruling directing the Biden government to restore the Trump-era policy that shover people to wait in Mexico for hearings on shelter applications. "The Mexican government will start technical discussions with the U.S. government to evaluate how to handle safe, orderly and regulated immigration on the border,” Roberto Velasco, Mexico’s director for North American Affairs, said. As of now, it is not clear how many people will be affected by the Supreme Court ruling. Meanwhile, experts said, "Under the lower court judgment, the government must make a 'good faith effort' to resume the program again."

(With inputs from AP)

Image Credit: AP