Mexico Slams Texas Anti-Immigrant Measures

On Wednesday, the Mexican Foreign Affairs Ministry slammed the latest anti-immigrant measures passed by the legislature of the state of Texas, saying they aimed to curb the flow of migrants by criminalizing them.

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The bills passed by Texas with the goal of criminalizing migrants "will result in the separation of families, discrimination and racial profiling," the Mexican Foreign Affairs Ministry said.

"Mexico recognizes the sovereign right of any country to decide the public policies that should be implemented in its territory. However, it respectfully expresses its legitimate right to protect the rights of its nationals in the United States, as well as to establish its own public policies for detention in its territory," it stressed.

On Tuesday, the Texas House of Representatives approved bills SB3 and SB4, related, respectively, to building a border wall and granting law enforcement the power to detain undocumented migrants, as well as order judges to deport such migrants to Mexico.

"Bill 4 gives local and state government the authority to arrest illegal immigrants who enter Texas... Under SB 4, those who unlawfully cross the border can be charged with a state misdemeanor and face up to one year in prison," the National Review reported.

"A felony charge, carrying a maximum sentence of 20 years, can be leveled if illegal immigrants are charged with additional crimes or don’t comply with a judge’s orders," it added.

In reaction to these new regulations, Mexico reaffirmed that it will maintain its commitment to the protection of its citizens abroad and will respond to any violation by the authorities to safeguard their human rights.

The new measures will affect the human rights of over 10 million people of Mexican origin who reside in Texas, by fostering hostile environments that can lead to hate acts or crimes against the migrant communities, the Mexican Foreign Affairs Ministry pointed out.

"Mexico recognizes the importance of a uniform and consistent policy on immigration matters. Consequently, it supports joint work with the United States Federal Government to ensure that migration occurs in an orderly, safe, regular manner and with respect for the human rights of people in situations of mobility," it added.