Duranguenses communities demand more protection for migrants.

Published on Octuber 2010

DURANGO, DGO.-.- Community organizations from abroad demand more participation in the implementation of law on the protection to the migrant.

From a series of initiatives of various community representations abroad and with the will of the legislators, the migrants Protection Act was established in 2008.

That legal body that consists of 64 articles which talk about the repatriation and deportation of Duranguenses, social assistance to the emigrant through a state fund assistance, corpses repatriation; humanitarian aid, administrative assistance, public works with the participation of migrants, protection for the transmigrants and tourists, and the creation of a census of in the state of Durango.

So far, and according to the views expressed the positive effects have been few or almost zero in this sector.

Claudia Lucero President of the Federation Duranguenses United in the Midwest, in Chicago Ill; said that although the law on paper and terms is more or less complete, problems can be seen in the administrative process of implementation, including the operational budget to run the commandments of this legal document.

 “There is a point that the law does not have and those are the mechanisms, programs and support to assist in the integration or reintegration of duranguenses who are deported or simply decide to return to their land”, and added, “is of the most importance to have a process of integration into the social, political, civic, economic life and to the education system which is very different here in the United States” expressed Lucero.

Pointed out by saying that, “while there is a protection law, the migrant community is not a priority for the State Government”.

For Cesar Valenciano, Chairman of Casa Durango Dallas, (DDC), the law has not shown a minimum result.

“This law has not taken effect, migration continues, there are urgent needs for legal representation, documents, educational supports our people requires an urgent attention of their state,” expressed Valenciano.

Luis García, projects secretary of the Federation of Duranguenses USA House Durango Los Angeles, said it suffers from a space to allow a Duranguense migrant to be a member of the congress and represent them.

“We are already tired of the same speech, and they always giving us too little;” there is a law but there is nothing supporting this sector of the population; “Durango receives daily $ 1 million in remittances and we have assigned nothing for communities and families remaining here unprotected” said Garcia.

Juan Cisneros, Chairman of the Club ‘Friends of Carrillo Puerto Durango’, said he only knows the name of the law and that the needs of his community are huge moreover with possibilities for the return of thousands of fellows by the tightening of the immigration policies in states like Arizona and Texas.

Alva García, Topia Durango, Member of Casa Durango Los Angeles expressed that if there were truly a law for the protection of migrants, the situation would be different.

“As one nears Durango you have to cross oneself, insecurity is tremendous, also in many cases we cannot even process basic documentations, if you could really apply that law documents the situation of our people would be different”, expressed García.

He added that one of the most pressing needs is the support to obtain consular registration and birth records, we require them, and there is no means to obtain them,” said Garcia.

For its part, Myrna Alarcón, until the close of this Edition, Director of Attention to Migrants in Durango, said that the law has covered the topic of social assistance, but the actions would be more aimed at the creation of an institute of the migrant, where you could give real attention to the phenomenon of migration.

“We are reacting and not in a preventive way, we should search the economic component that not only invests in benefit of their own families but inhibits the departure of our migrant creating programs that actually allow those who already are over there come and invest and give them benefits to themselves and their families”, said Alarcon

He also said, the families of migrants are those who actually live the impressive drama and despair of not knowing of their missing relatives; and also require basic needs, repatriation of corpses, birth records among others.

The Commission of attention to migrants composed of Sergio Duarte Sonora, (PRD), Jaime Rivas Loaiza, (PRI), Gilberto Zaldívar, (PANAL), Jorge Alejandro Salum del Palacio (PAN), and Marcial Garcia Abraham, (PRI), said they are working on it and give a follow-up to the responsibility of the Commission taken on its own initiative.

Duarte Sonora, Chairman of that Committee, stressed the priority is to monitor the implementation of laws and added that inherent in the subject work plan would be presented during October and added that is a situation of first order on respect for human rights.

“It is not possible that Central American migrants are given a worse treatment than the one we recieve in United States, documented or not migration is a phenomenon of international character of underdeveloped countries to the most developed and product of the few opportunities that are generated in the economic field, we will search respect for their rights and also from our competence to defend our migrants rights”, said Duarte.

Salum del Palacio, said Durango is one of the driving states for migrants and this calls that Congress to establish some kind of mechanisms or public policies in relation to the topic.

“There is a reversal, an onslaught, caused by the lack of employment, a more intense competition, a situation that makes more difficult the condition of the migrants which are seen as competition, added to this the lack of available state and federal governments of the United States to discuss.”

Abraham García said to know the topic closely and also lived in his own flesh the suffering of being an undocumented.

“I worked like any other undocumented and I am pleased to be able to bring support for my family, but is also the feeling that my country does not meet the conditions;” “you feel totally vulnerable as if we did not have an identity” and added, “we cannot expect with crossed arms to take opportunities, we shall legislate for them to have spaces and to develop” concluded Abraham García.

By Ángel Peimberth

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