Joint Press Release 

Mexico City     July 6, 2006

THE 2006 VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION PROGRAM BEGINS

The Ministries of the Interior and of Foreign Affairs report that, following up on the Memorandum of Understanding on the Safe, Orderly, Dignified and Humane Repatriation of Mexican Citizens that was signed by both agencies with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in February 2004, the 2006 voluntary repatriation program will begin on July 7^th.

In order to avoid further deaths among those who try to enter the U.S. by crossing the arid areas in Sonora and Arizona, the Mexican government will once again support this program that will run through September 30, 2006.

This is the program’s third year. During the summer months of the two previous years, more than 34,000 Mexicans who were at physical risk after having undertaken long walks across the desert, exposing themselves to high temperatures, were voluntarily and safely repatriated through this program.

Mexican consular staff in Nogales, Tucson and Yuma, Arizona as well as staff from the National Institute for Migration and the Beta Group, interviewed Mexican citizens detained in the Processing Centers of the Border Patrol in Nogales and Yuma, Arizona in order to determine if their participation in the repatriation program was voluntary and to provide them with consular assistance if necessary.

The program provides two daily flights to Mexico City for those Mexican citizens who have voluntarily decided to return to Mexico. Once in Mexico, ground transportation is provided for free to cities close to their hometowns.

This year, the voluntary repatriation program will follow the same principles and guidelines used in the two previous years: it will be strictly voluntary, special treatment will be given to vulnerable and special groups and the rights of the Mexican citizens will be protected and respected.