Awareness Raised for Millions of Mexicans with 'Doubly Undocumented' Status Mariana Raschke - Golden Gate Xpress
go to original November 3, 2016

What does it mean to be doubly undocumented? It’s a term many people may be unfamiliar with, but for Karen Mercado, the status of being doubly undocumented is one she has sought to address and change for 10 years.

Mercado had always known that not all Mexicans had birth certificates, but after she created the BeFoundation in 2007, she realized just how big the problem actually was. At least 10 percent of people in Mexico are invisible because they lack documentation to prove they exist. This means that these individuals cannot legally marry, enroll in school, travel outside of the country or even prove their identity. It also makes their path to citizenship in the U.S. more difficult because they have barriers to overcome in both countries.  

Without an identity, people cannot access the basic human rights guaranteed by a country’s constitution such as health care, social security and education. In Mexico, 12 million people are unregistered. Mercado said these individuals are often from impoverished small towns without a civil registrar, whose families cannot afford to request a birth certificate. Those who have never been registered and want to get a birth certificate later in life need to obtain two documents to prove they’ve been denied citizenship.

Through her efforts to raise social awareness, Mercado and BeFoundation were able to help change Mexico’s constitution. In 2010, Mexico reformed the fourth article of its constitution to make the right of an identity a constitutional right.

“I felt empowered to get BeFoundation’s message out there, so doubly undocumented people can get help,” said interior design major Kaye Villaverde, who added that she was moved by the presentation. “People who are visibly present, living out their lives and working towards bettering society and their future should be recognized.”

Read the rest at Golden Gate Xpress

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