Mexico rejected on Saturday an anti-immigrant law that came into force in Florida, United States, and warned that it can trigger acts of discrimination, racial profiling and rights violations.
Law SB1718,that has sown fear among the undocumented, It was signed on May 10, 2023 by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
Under the rule, anyone transporting a person who entered the United States illegally could face a five-year prison sentence or a $5,000 fine per person.
It also requires companies with at least 25 employees to check the immigration status of workers in a federal database and establishes penalties for employers who offer work to unauthorized aliens.
Although Mexico said that it respects state legislative processes and measures in the United States, it considers that the SB1718 law will affect the human rights of thousands of Mexican children, exacerbating hostile environments that can lead to hate acts or crimes against the migrant community.
“This measure does not reflect their valuable contribution to the economy, society and culture of Florida, and the country,” said a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“Criminalization is not the way to solve the phenomenon of undocumented immigration. The existence of transnational labor markets, as well as the intensity of commercial and tourist ties between Mexico and Florida, cannot be ignored by measures inspired by feelings of xenophobia and white nationalism,” he added.
The Government of Mexico announced that, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it will use all the resources at its disposal to defend the rights and dignity of Mexican people in Florida, for which it will reinforce actions of assistance, consular protection and legal advice.
The president of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, urged Hispanics residing in the United States in May not to vote for Republican DeSantis, who launched his presidential candidacy to the 2024 elections with promises to toughen the country’s measures against migration.
Thousands of Mexicans and Latin Americans remain in the United States, many illegally.
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