At her Monday morning press conference, President Claudia Sheinbaum responded to questions about Mexicans in the United States and U.S. President Donald Trump’s crusade against so-called “sanctuary cities.”
In response to another question, she deflected criticism of her non-attendance at the funeral of Pope Francis on Saturday.
Sheinbaum: ‘The criminalization of migrants is essentially racist’
In response to a question about the importance of Mexicans to the United States economy and society, Sheinbaum said her compatriots have lived north of the (current) border for “several generations.”
“They already lived there when they took half our territory, or more than half our territory,” she said, referring to land Mexico lost to the United States in the 19th century.
Sheinbaum highlighted that most Mexicans in the United States live there legally.
“Of the 38 million there are estimated to be … there are 4 million who don’t have documents, but the majority of them have been in the United States for many years and contribute,” she said.
“It is estimated that 20% of the earnings of Mexicans [in the United States] is sent [to Mexico] in remittances. What does that mean? That 80% stays in the United States, in savings, in consumption, in the payment of taxes,” Sheinbaum said.
“So this idea that migrants take jobs [from U.S. citizens], it’s the complete opposite, they help the United States economy,” she said.
Without mentioning his name, Sheinbaum took a swipe at Donald Trump, who has used a rather broad brush in characterizing many migrants as criminals while vowing to carry out “the largest deportation operation in American history.”
“The criminalization of migrants is essentially racist,” Sheinbaum said.
“What we’re saying is that … we have to talk about those 4 million undocumented [Mexicans] with the government of the United States,” she said.
In anticipation of a possible flood of deportations, the Mexican government created a program called “México te abraza” (Mexico embraces you) to support Mexicans deported from the United States during the second Trump administration. However, in the more than three months since Trump took office, the pace of deportations has not been faster than under previous U.S. presidents.
‘We will always defend our compatriots’
A reporter asked Sheinbaum about Trump’s proposed “executive order against sanctuary cities,” which the U.S. president signed later on Monday.
Trump signed the order “to enforce federal law with respect to sanctuary jurisdictions to protect their citizens from dangerous illegal aliens,” according to a White House fact sheet.
The fact sheet said that:
- “The Order directs the Attorney General and Secretary of Homeland Security to publish a list of States and local jurisdictions obstructing federal immigration law enforcement and notify each sanctuary jurisdiction of its non-compliance, providing an opportunity to correct it.”
It added that:
- “Sanctuary jurisdictions that do not comply with federal law may lose federal funding.”
Sheinbaum said that her government will “always defend our compatriots” in the United States, and will soon announce “changes we’re going to carry out in the [Mexican] consulates” in the U.S. “so that they have even more support.”
She reiterated that her administration is opposed to Trump’s mass deportation plans, and told reporters that five Mexicans were detained in a federal raid in Colorado Springs on Sunday.
Mexico was ‘very well represented’ at Pope’s funeral
A reporter asked the president to respond to criticism that she didn’t personally attend the funeral of Pope Francis, held on Saturday in Saint Peter’s Square, Vatican City, prior to interment at the Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome.
“We were very well represented by [Interior Minister] Rosa Icela [Rodríguez],” Sheinbaum responded.
She once again spoke in glowing terms about “the legacy and life of Pope Francis,” who she described as a “humanist pope who always put the poor first.”
“He leaves a great legacy to the whole world, to Catholics and non-Catholics,” Sheinbaum said.
By Mexico News Daily chief staff writer Peter Davies ([email protected])
Two types of migrants – those who are in US legally and those who are not. Those in the second type are breaking the laws and are criminals. They are not being ‘criminalized’; they ARE criminals who have willfully violated laws. Don’t confuse or mix the two.
All but a few of us in the USA are criminals. We drive at least 1/10 a mile over the speed limit which is illegal. That is a crime. Add to that not using turn signals, not coming to a complete stop, going through a stop sign or a red light, turning left on a red light after the car in front of us, texting on a phone, not using seat belts, …. Thus U.S. is chock full of millions of illegal (thinking we are legal) immigrant criminals breeding for generations. We should be deported by the First Nations back to the countries our ancestors came from forthwith!
With due respect, your analogy is not only flawed but incredibly simple minded. However, in all of the examples you list, there are laws in place that are enforced. If you chose to break those laws you are subject to being pulled over by law enforcement. After which you will be held accountable for your actions – whether it is a fine, losing your privilege to drive, an appearance in front of a judge, or a warning. All of which are appropriate for the crime committed. The very same is true for those who choose to enter a Country illegally. There are laws in place, that when broken, the perpetrator is subject to the laws for that crime. There is a difference between living illegally in a Country and breaking a traffic law. Using your logic, murderers, rapists, and child molesters are equal to migrants in the US illegally as well as drivers who speed a bit or roll through a stop sign. I do not support the current policies of the Trump administration. However, 4 generations ago, my ancestors came by boat from Norway. They went through the process to become legal citizens of the US, and toiled and sacrificed to build a better life for their children, and every generation since has done the same. Regardless of the policies being enforced, there is a way to enter the US legally and complete the process to become an American citizen. Just like there is a process that zi must follow to become a citizen of Mexico. If being in a Country illegally is no big deal, why can’t I simply stay in Mexico and work as I damn well please? I don’t care how easy it might be or that others are doing it, I live and play by the rules and follow them in place to avoid the punishment for breaking those rules/laws.
It is not only that…. most migrants live on US citizens Social Security… apartments paid, monthly expensies paid… i heard even cars sometimes…. they dont need to work… Americans DO… DOGE is balancing ( hopefully ) everything…… this is out of balance… why should americans tax money fund lives of people around the world ? Americans need a break…. i recently was in US for several months…. heard young people speaking about freinds STARVING…!! about todays young people needing financial help of thier parents…. this never happened before to such an extent ! – so tough luck illegal immigrants coming to live for free on US donaitons
Oh, if only Americans could give up their twice-daily fix of their favorite $7 per cup Starbucks coffee. Hmm, $14 per day times 250 working days per year is $3500. As for [email protected] comments, what is illegal is the theft of Colorado, Idaho, NM, California, Nevada, and Arizona. Give this stolen land back to Mexico. As regards integrity, Mexico allowed Europeans to come into Texas to live on two conditions: one that they become Catholics and two, that the new migrants would not have slavery. The Texans violated both, and slavery is built into the mentality of a low-wage economy with a minimum wage of $7.25 per hour.
Sense you are on the subject. Spain invaded Mexico in 1519 when Hernán Cortés led an expedition to the region.
Cortés arrived on the Yucatán coast and later marched on the Aztec city of Cholula, before setting his sights on the Aztec capital, Tenochtitlán.
The invasion marked the beginning of the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire, which culminated in the fall of Tenochtitlán in 1521.
This assertion that “most” immigrants into the US live off US taxpayer money, as opposed to working, is a LIE. Where did you get this hateful misinformation? You have been lied to by evil people. Stop spreading evil lies.
Sense you asked here is the information you requested.
According to a report by the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), the cost of illegal immigration to American taxpayers was at least $151 billion annually as of 2022.
This figure includes expenditures on federal, state, and local services and benefits provided to illegal aliens and their dependents, offset by approximately $31 billion in taxes collected from illegal immigrants.
The total state and local expenditures for these services were around $115.6 billion in 2022.
Additionally, federal welfare programs, medical expenditures, educational expenditures, and justice enforcement expenditures contributed significantly to the overall cost. Not hateful, not lies just facts. Additionally House Homeland Security Committee estimated that the southern border crisis costs American taxpayers around $451 billion annually for services provided to illegal aliens under the Biden administration.
Yeah, Americans are starving because they are trying to live on $7.50 an hour because minimum wage is kept low by “our” politicians and their billionaire paymasters. The last 20 years has been a pachanga for the hyper rich. The rest of us? Try working 3 or 4 jobs and you may get by, but don’t think of buying a house, having health insurance–or if you do, the right wing promises to take it away.
Come in legally through the proper channels and you have no problem. Come in illegally and you’re a criminal alien, subject to deportation. Stop giving illegals aid and they’ll go home or not come in the first place. That’s why the advertising that America is doing in Mexico and around the world is a good thing. It may just keep illegals from making a journey that gets them nowhere. Fix your own country through whatever means necessary instead of invading others. That’s the way it’s done.
If you think people coming to America to work at the lowest paid jobs that many Americans won’t do are “invading” America, you have either been misled by hateful people or are purposely spreading hateful delusions. The fact that you call yourself “truth” is a perfect MAGA inversion of reality. STOP LYING.
You see that TRUTH is all in caps, because it is an acronym standing for Trump Republicans Undermining Truth and Happiness.
It is flat out amazing to me how many people still live in denial, head in the sand and so much hatred in their heart for one person that they have turned their backs on their own country. You should to be ashamed of yourselves. Be assured the majority of people are ashamed of you for sure.