On behalf of the Government of Mexico, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemns the entry into force of Texas law SB4, which seeks to stop the flow of migrants by criminalizing them, and encouraging the separation of families, discrimination and racial profiling that violate the human rights of the migrant community.
As stated since the law was debated in the Texas legislature last year, Mexico categorically rejects any measure that allows state or local authorities to exercise immigration control, and to arrest and return nationals or foreigners to Mexican territory.
Mexico also questions legal provisions that affect the human rights of the more than 10 million people of Mexican origin who live in Texas, and give rise to hostile environments in which the migrant community is exposed to hate speech, discrimination and racial profiling.
Mexico reiterates its legitimate right to protect the rights of its nationals in the United States and to determine its own policies regarding entry into its territory. Mexico recognizes the importance of a uniform migration policy and the bilateral efforts with the United States to ensure that migration is safe, orderly and respectful of human rights, and is not affected by state or local legislative decisions. In this regard, Mexico will not accept, under any circumstances, repatriations by the State of Texas.
As part of its actions to protect the interests of Mexico and its nationals in the U.S., the Government of Mexico will file a friend-of-the-court brief with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in New Orleans, Louisiana, to provide information on the impact that this law will have on the Mexican and/or Mexican-American community, and its effect on the relations between Mexico and the United States.
Mexico has historically participated in a decisive manner as a friend of the court in litigation against anti-immigrant laws, for example, against Arizona SB1070 in 2010, Alabama HB56 in 2011, and Texas SB4 in 2017.
In addition, as part of the consular assistance and protection strategy to address this new legislation, in November 2023 a meeting was held with the consuls responsible for protection in Texas to coordinate actions in the event that the law entered into force. Similar meetings were held in January and February with the heads of Mexico’s consulates in Texas, a group called TEXCOCO.
The Foreign Ministry will continue to provide timely, humane and dignified consular assistance and protection to all Mexicans in Texas at its 11 representations in the state, in addition to the Consulate in Albuquerque, which also covers counties in Texas.