More Central Americans Stay in Mexico to Do Jobs Mexicans Won’t Do Kausha Luna - Center for Immigration Studies
go to original July 26, 2017

Scapegoated by Trump, Central American Migrants Turn to Mexico for Asylum (Al Jazeera)

With the tightening of border enforcement under the Trump administration, many Central Americans are choosing to stay in Mexico. Consequently, the Mexican city of Monterrey has become part of the new "American dream".

The metropolitan area of Monterrey is located in the northern state of Nuevo Leon, which shares a border with south Texas. As a result, Central Americans often use Monterrey as a transit stop before they continue on to the U.S.-Mexico border. However, the city has also become a recipient of migrants who no longer want to take the risk of crossing the border.

According to a professor from the University of Monterrey, the capital of Nuevo Leon is an attractive city for any migrant given the employment opportunities that exist. Professor Philippe Stoesslé explains:

"There are a number of employment options that those based in the metropolis do not want, such as manual labor for Metro Line 3, which is a source of employment for Central Americans. Thus, there is a 'circular' migration in Mexico that moves as employment is found."

Both Mexican and foreign migrants in the area work in construction, mechanic shops, factories, or farming. While some of the Central American migrants have been able to integrate themselves into the formal economy, others opt to beg for money on street corners throughout the city.

Monterrey plays host to an estimated 3,500 Central American migrants, primarily Hondurans and Guatemalans. Professor Paulo Cuéllar Martinez of the Autonomous University of Nuevo León recommends that these migrants be incorporated into the formal economy by giving them jobs. Otherwise, they could be recruited into criminal activity and become a social problem.

Read the rest at Center for Immigration Studies

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