THE UNDERSECRETARY FOR NORTH AMERICA MEETS WITH HISPANIC AND CIVIL RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS IN ALABAMA AND GEORGIA

As part of a working visit to Atlanta in the United States, the Undersecretary for North America, Sergio Alcocer Martinez de Castro, met today with representatives of Hispanic and civil rights NGOs. The Mexican government has an ongoing dialogue and respectful cooperation with important players in American society in order to have the contributions of Mexican communities recognized and to guarantee full respect for their rights.

During the meeting, they discussed the political environment that surrounds immigration issues, both at the national level in the United States and at the state level in Alabama and Georgia. In recent years, both states have passed laws that could adversely affect the rights and interests of resident or visiting Mexicans. Sections of Alabama HB56 (2011) and Georgia HB87 (2011) had been suspended by federal courts as a result of lawsuits filed by civil organizations or the U.S. federal government, which were supported by the Mexican government in the form of amicus, or "friend of the court," briefs.

The community programs of the NGOs and those operated by the Mexican government through the embassy in Washington and the consular network were also evaluated. It was agreed that more effort should be put into promoting a culture of inclusion and respect for migrants.

The organizations present at the meeting were the Georgia Latino Alliance for Human Rights (GLAHR), Hispanic Interest Coalition of Alabama (HICA), American Civil Liberties Union ( ACLU) of Georgia, and Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC).

The Mexican government expressed its commitment to continuing to strengthen its consular services and relief efforts and to providing protection to Mexicans abroad, regardless of their immigration status.