The UN Committee on Migrant Workers expressed its concern over the lack of clarity and transparency in potential migration agreements between Mexico and the United States that could involve the outsourcing of border control by U.S. authorities. In a recent report, the committee points out that these agreements could be transferring Mexico's international obligations regarding asylum and human rights to third parties.
The report highlights the concern over the systematic return of nationals from third countries to Mexico, as well as air expulsions to the state of Chiapas sponsored by U.S. authorities and tolerated by Mexican ones. The expelled individuals, both Mexican and from other countries, are left in vulnerable situations without adequate support or information, exposing them to risks of violence, trafficking, or exploitation.
The committee also noted concerns over the increasing militarization of migration policy in Mexico, with the participation of armed bodies such as the National Guard, the Army, and the Navy in control tasks. Furthermore, it expressed concern over the subcontracting of these tasks to private security companies without sufficient guarantees of respect for human rights.
Additionally, the committee reprimanded Mexican authorities for the lack of progress in investigations into cases of violence against migrants, including past massacres and murders such as that of Salvadoran migrant Victoria Salazar in 2023. It also expressed concern over the recent discovery of clandestine graves and crematoria in Jalisco and Tamaulipas.
The report resulted from Mexico's fourth periodic review before the committee and was adopted on the 17th of this month following meetings on April 7 and 8. The final observations were published on the official UN website this Thursday, emphasizing the need for clarity in migration agreements and international protection between Mexico and the United States.
