Mexico Follows US Lead, Sends More Federal Security Forces to Southern Border

Mexico's government announced it was increasing the number of federal police currently guarding Mexico’s southern border in an attempt to prevent undocumented migrants from Central and South America from crossing into Mexico. 

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On April 4 United States President Donald Trump ordered the deployment of the U.S. National Guard to “protect Mexico border” until the border wall he promised during the campaign trail is built. 

The announcement was criticized by human rights groups and Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto, who called the deployment “threatening” and “disrespectful.”

Despite Mexico's protests, including the Senate’s demand to suspend security cooperation with the United States, the Mexican government is adopting the U.S. policy and responding to migration through an increase in the presence of security forces in the states of Chiapas, an entry point for many undocumented migrants.

The border countries of Guatemala and Belize have yet to respond to the announced measure. Interior minister Alfonso Navarrete met with Chiapas Governor, Manuel Velasco, in Mexico City to talk about how to “strengthen the southern border.”

Velasco confirmed “we will strengthen security with more elements of the federal police sent by the interior ministry.” Mexico’s interior minister said there is a need for “a broad framework to protect human rights,” however, no clear strategy was presented.

According to the Latin America Working Group Education Fund “migrants crossing Mexico’s southern border region face a myriad of challenges and are highly in danger of exploitation and abuse ranging from rape and robbery to extortion and assault.” Furthermore, security forces in Mexico are involved in a series of human rights violations, including rape, torture, kidnapping and murder.

Trump’s announcement was followed by the organization of 'Migrant's Way of the Cross' caravan of over 1,000 Central American migrants who aimed to reach the U.S. after fleeing violence in their communities of origin.

Reports of the caravan triggered Trump to threaten via Twitter that he would leave the North American Free Trade Agreement (Nafta) if Mexico did not stop the migrants. Mexico has complied offering migrants in the caravan the possibility to apply for refuge in Mexico.