Repatriating Foreign Migrants Costs Mexico Over 82 Million Dollars a Year Fabiola Martínez - La Jornada
go to original May 14, 2013

During the period between 2010 and the first quarter of 2013, Mexico repatriated 239,252 migrants. Every year our country spends over 82 million dollars sending foreign migrants back to their countries of origin, according to the INM. Of those repatriated, 92% are Central American.

This figure is equivalent to the total income gained from the entry of foreigners (tourists, workers, students etc.) from January to March of this year – that is, a quarter of the approximate 380 million dollars earned by the state in 2012 in that capacity.

Another way to measure expenditure on deportations is this: last year, the INM received over 165 million dollars to carry out deportations, including the authorized budget from the Chamber of Deputies and the assignment of resources specifically earned from foreign visits and residences.

Before being returned to their countries, each migrant passed through one of the 32 permanent or 27 temporary centers provided by the INM. Fourteen of the temporary centers are type “A” (providing accommodation for no longer than 48 hours) and the rest, type “B”, will accommodate migrants for no longer than one week. However, the agency, which is part of the Secretariat of Government Relations, admits that these buildings are in need of repair, maintenance and re-equipment.

Read the rest at Mexico Voices

Translated by Helena Redman

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