Miguel Angel Ferrer
Internationalist 360°
For many years now, migration of Mexicans to the United States has faced increasing difficulties: higher costs, more repression, more dangers. This has led to a fall in the number of Mexican migrants. But migrations to the US continue.
Now these migrations have a geographically distinct and diverse origin: Hondurans, Salvadorans and Cubans among the most visible. But there are also migrants of African, Asian, Brazilian, Venezuelan, Colombian, Spanish and Peruvian origin.
But given the new draconian restrictions on detention on US soil, this growing migration is forced, against its will, to remain in Mexico.
This phenomenon, together with the smaller exodus of Mexicans, is generating a radical change in Mexico’s migratory quality: from a country of expulsion, it is becoming a land of destination.
The new migratory phenomenon is barely in formation, but there are no signs on the horizon that it can be stopped or reversed, but rather the opposite: sustained acceleration and growth.
As always, this new migration is composed of young people. Individuals in full productive capacity. There are also children, alone or accompanied, who participate in economic activities.
The Mexican migratory mutation occurs at a time when the Aztec country is undergoing a sustained process of demographic aging. So new arms are arriving to replace the aged. A replay, so to speak, of the demographic history witnessed by Europe with African, Arab or sub-Saharan migration.
All this will lead Mexico to rethink its migration policy. Reception instead of expulsion, shelter instead of abandonment, legalization instead of criminalization. Assimilation instead of xenophobia. Solidarity and not hostility.
The closing of the US door has led to the opening of the Mexican door. Yet, it is true, with some reluctance and without much clarity. But there is no alternative. Necessity will have to be made a virtue. And the same thing will have to be done by migrants in search of the American dream: to accept the new reality, which, by the way, is not so bad. Above all, compared to the very hard and painful life that would await them north of the Rio Bravo.
The Central American migratory adventure (and others) can have an unexpected but happy ending. Spaniards, Chileans, Uruguayans, Guatemalans and Arabs, among others, can attest to this.
