Migration Policies in Latin America

While the US wrestles with immigration reform, the topic of migration policies is also making headlines in the rest of America.  As regional immigration increases in volume, countries that are not accustomed to the social, political and economic impacts of immigration have to grapple with this difficult issue.  In Latin America this phenomenon is clearly defined both in terms of countries that are emerging as new destinations for regional migrants, as well as countries that serve as transition points for migrants moving through on their way to somewhere else.  In South America, for example, the emergence of Chile as a new destination for regional migration has heralded new political and social consequences for the once-isolated country.  In Central America, the flow of migrants toward Mexico and the US has forced governments there to respond with stronger administrative agencies and the dedication of more resources to deal with the impact of migratory flows through the region.

Recent developments include:

The Bolivian parliament has passed a large migration law that hopes to regulate the entry, passage and settlement of migrants in that country.  The law appears to be a technical response for coordinating administrative efforts at regulation by creating a National Council on Migration.  The law also includes measures that seek to protect the rights of immigrants.  For example, the law proposes to assure the ability of foreigners to attend universities for free in Bolivia, on par with Bolivian nationals.

Meanwhile, Brazil has sent a delegation of lower house members to Bolivia to discuss issues related to migration concerning both countries.  Human trafficking and slavery in and around Sao Paolo are among the issues discussed by the delegation.  There are an estimated 100,000 Bolivians living in conditions of slavery due to their undocumented status in Brazil.  A commission in the lower house also discussed the need for Brazil to finance “work centers” in Bolivia to stem the tide of migrants into Brazil.

In Columbia, the migration regulation agency has been attempting to issue new identification cards to immigrants, but has delayed release of the new cards.  The delay has caused doubts among immigrants who are unsure if their old cards are still valid, as well as frustration because new cards have been announced repeatedly but have not yet been released.  The Colombian government also has special migratory relationships through the Comunidad Andina and MERCOSUR regional integration schemes.   

Similarly in Ecuador, the government is under fire for slow and insufficient immigration inspection at its principle airport in Guayaquil.  While the airport has recently been rated as one of the best in the world for its size, serving between 2 – 5 million passengers annually, complaints abound because of the long lines and wait period for passengers to pass through immigration checkpoints.    

The Mexican lower house unanimously passed legislation that seeks to protect children and adolescent migrants travelling alone.  The bill instructs the National Migration Institute to direct detained youth to family development-oriented agencies where these youth can obtain housing and other attention.  The intent of the bill is to increase the protection of the rights of young unaccompanied migrants.

Guatemalan Nobel Peace Prize Winner Rigoberta Menchú is calling on government to make immigration an integral part of their work.  She noted that embassies in the region are not responsive to the needs of migrants and governments should not leave all of the work to under-financed NGOs.

In Honduras, President Lobo has given a presidential commission 60 days to reorganize the National Department of Foreigners and Migration quoting the need to bolster the agency to confront the threat of terrorism and organized crime.  Among the goals of the commission is the strengthening of documents to prevent fraud, especially in the face of heightened demand for passports by the Honduran populace.

Costa Rica´s immigration agency has recently been called to task after a newspaper report revealed the illicit trafficking of Nicaraguan migrants to work on the orange harvest in the border area.  The director of the agency said an investigation of the situation would be undertaken and at least 115 people have been identified in the exploitive trafficking of laborers.    

The government of the Dominican Republic is taking measures to provide documentation to Haitians living along the border between the two countries in a push to enforce an “ordered, restrictive and legal” migration policy.  The regularization seeks to introduce governmental regulation into a largely irregular and uncontrolled border area.