Mexico Launches App to Support Citizens in the US Facing Deportation

December 28, 2024 TruthUSA

Mexico’s secretary of foreign affairs referred to the application as a ‘panic button.’

The Mexican government is in the process of creating a new mobile application for its citizens residing illegally in the United States. This app will enable users to alert their families and the nearest Mexican consulate if they encounter deportation issues, according to a statement made by a Mexican official on Friday.

This initiative is a reaction to the looming threat of mass deportations of undocumented immigrants in the U.S. under the upcoming Trump administration.

Juan Ramón de la Fuente, the secretary of foreign affairs for Mexico, indicated that the app is currently undergoing small-scale testing and seems to be performing very well.

In an interview with The Associated Press, De la Fuente described the app as a “panic button.”

“If you find yourself in a situation where you might be detained [by U.S. immigration authorities], you can activate the alert button, which will send a signal to the nearest consulate,” he explained.

However, De la Fuente did not clarify whether the app has a function to cancel the alert in case the detention does not occur.

Alongside the development of the app, the Mexican government has set up a 24-hour call center to assist its citizens illegally living in the United States and those uncertain about their residency status. Additionally, Mexico has increased its consular personnel and legal aid resources to help undocumented immigrants through the deportation process.

Estimates from the Mexican government suggest there are around 11.5 million migrants with various forms of legal status in the United States and approximately 4.8 million residing there illegally.

The application is anticipated to be officially launched in January, coinciding with President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration scheduled for January 20. Trump has consistently asserted during his campaign that he would enforce mass deportations upon taking office.

This development also follows ongoing negotiations between Trump and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum concerning immigration policies. Recently, Trump proclaimed success in curbing illegal immigration through Mexico after a discussion with Sheinbaum.

Trump declared on his Truth Social account that Sheinbaum “agreed to stop Migration through Mexico.”

In a separate statement on social media, Sheinbaum suggested a different viewpoint, asserting that “Mexico’s stance is not to close borders, but to foster cooperation between governments and peoples.”

She further mentioned that Mexico is already managing migrant caravans, stating, “I informed him that the caravans are not reaching the northern (U.S.) border because Mexico is addressing them.”

The dialogue between the two leaders took place shortly after Trump threatened new tariffs on Canada and Mexico, intending to tackle illegal immigration and drug trafficking. He described the proposed tariffs as a way to “effectively close our Southern Border.”

According to data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, it has been reported that encounters at the U.S.-Mexico border have decreased by 40 percent from their peak in December, largely due to heightened scrutiny by Mexican authorities around rail yards and checkpoints.

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