STATEMENT FROM THE GOVERNMENT OF MEXICO ON THE DEBATE ON IMMIGRATION REFORM IN THE UNITED STATES

The Government of Mexico welcomes the principles for a comprehensive reform of the immigration system of the United States that have been laid out both by President Barack Obama and a bipartisan group of US Senators. It also acknowledges the valuable input that has been provided in recent weeks by numerous economic groups and civil society organizations.

The Government of Mexico recognizes the commitment shown by an increasing number of US actors to ensure that the legal frameworks in North America reflect the region’s demographic realities, the existing complementarities between our economies, the need for a prosperous, competitive, secure and efficient border, and the family links and shared values between our societies. The priority of protecting the rights of every individual, regardless of his or her immigration status, has rightly been included at the core of this debate.

Immigration policy is a federal domestic issue in the United States. Nevertheless, it has an effect on the lives of millions of individuals living within that and other countries. The Government of Mexico will continue to respectfully promote an informed discussion of the many dimensions of this subject, and to protect the rights of its citizens abroad.