April 27th 2024.
Last month in Brighton, Colorado, a group of Republican activists gathered in a school lunchroom to listen to political pitches from various candidates. As they discussed the current state of affairs in Denver suburbs, it was clear that one issue was at the forefront of everyone's minds: immigration.
Many expressed concerns about the recent influx of Venezuelan migrants passing through Mexico and settling in the area. With the overwhelming number of new arrivals, public services have been strained and tensions have risen, making immigration a contentious topic in both local and national elections.
Toni Starner, a marketing consultant and lifelong resident of the area, shared her frustrations about the government's spending on providing for the migrants. She also mentioned how her daughter, at 22 years old, cannot even afford to buy a house due to the rising costs caused by the influx.
Meanwhile, over 1,200 miles away in Monterrey, Mexico, a similar situation is unfolding. The once prosperous industrial city has been transformed by the arrival of migrants from Haiti and Central America. On the streets, Creole can be heard from Haitian migrants, while Central American migrants seek help from motorists at intersections.
Despite this, immigration is not a major topic in Mexico's upcoming presidential election on June 2nd. Ingrid Morales, a retired academic living in Monterrey, believes that if it were truly a pressing issue, politicians would be addressing it in their campaigns. This stark contrast between the two countries' approaches to immigration highlights the differences in their democratic systems.
In Mexico, traditional political parties still hold significant power, while in the United States, Donald Trump's populist approach has disrupted the two-party system and brought anti-immigration sentiment to the forefront of politics. Additionally, while the U.S. is increasingly focused on issues of national identity, Mexican politics revolve more around economic concerns.
Andrew Selee, president of the Migration Policy Institute, explains that the majority of Mexican families have personal experiences with migration, with many having relatives living in other countries. This familiarity with the topic may contribute to the lack of chaos and controversy surrounding immigration in Mexico, unlike in the U.S.
As Trump continues to make immigration a central theme in his campaign for re-election, it remains a top issue among voters in the Republican presidential primary. In contrast, Mexico's frontrunner, Claudia Sheinbaum, did not even mention immigration in her 100 campaign commitments last month. Her main opponent, Xochitl Gálvez, also did not address the topic during her visit to Monterrey in February.
Despite this, Monterrey has become a crucial stop for many migrants, with some even choosing to stay in the city. Local authorities and international organizations have been working to accommodate the new arrivals, with companies like Femsa hiring hundreds of migrants through a program with the United Nations refugee agency.
A survey conducted last year found that nearly nine in 10 residents of Nuevo Leon, the state where Monterrey is located, noticed an increase in migrants and believed they should be provided with work. However, there is still division among Mexicans, with some advocating for more migrants to be admitted and others wanting to stop the flow altogether.
This lack of a clear advantage for any political party may explain why immigration has not been a major topic in the Mexican election. Luis Mendoza Ovando, a political analyst and columnist for the local newspaper, El Norte, believes that ultimately, society's stance is to provide work for migrants and move on.
Ricardo Cobián, a 30-year-old who runs a beauty salon in downtown Monterrey, acknowledges that immigration will need to be addressed by the next administration, but it is not a top priority for the nation as a whole.
Last month in Brighton, Colorado, a group of Republican activists gathered in a school lunchroom to listen to political pitches from various candidates. As they discussed the current issues facing the Denver suburbs, one topic stood out as the top concern: immigration. The recent influx of Venezuelan migrants traveling through Mexico has caused disruptions in the area, overwhelming public services and becoming a major point of contention in local and national elections.
Many attendees at the meeting expressed discomfort with the new population, noting the strain it has placed on resources and the impact it has had on their daily lives. Toni Starner, a marketing consultant and lifelong resident of the area, shared her frustration at having to pay for hotels, debit cards, and healthcare for the migrants through government spending. She also mentioned that her daughter, who is 22 years old, cannot even afford to buy a house due to the rising costs.
Meanwhile, over 1,200 miles away in Monterrey, Mexico, a similar situation is unfolding. The once-prosperous industrial city is now being transformed by the arrival of migrants from Haiti and Central America. In the downtown streets, one can hear Creole being spoken by Haitian migrants, while Central American migrants can be seen asking for help from passing motorists. However, unlike in the United States, these new arrivals are not a topic of conversation in Mexico's upcoming presidential election on June 2nd.
According to Ingrid Morales, a retired academic living in Monterrey, if immigration were a major issue in Mexico, it would already be a part of the political campaigns. Unlike the United States, where anti-immigration sentiment has been brought to the forefront by President Donald Trump, Mexican politics are still dominated by institutional political parties. Additionally, the focus of Mexican politics tends to be more on economic issues rather than questions of national identity.
Andrew Selee, president of the Migration Policy Institute, explains that this difference in focus is due to the fact that nearly every Mexican family has a personal experience with migration, with many having relatives living in other countries. Furthermore, while migrants must travel through Mexico to reach the United States, they are dispersed as they travel and do not cause the same level of chaos on the Mexican side of the border.
On the other hand, President Trump has made immigration the main theme of his campaign as he seeks re-election. Recent surveys have shown that immigration is a top issue for voters in the Republican presidential primary, and a majority of Americans consider it to be an important issue. In contrast, the leading candidate in Mexico's presidential election, Claudia Sheinbaum, did not even mention immigration when announcing her campaign commitments. Her main opponent, Xochitl Gálvez, also did not address the issue when visiting Monterrey last month, instead focusing on security and water supply.
Despite this lack of attention from politicians, Monterrey has become a critical waypoint for migrants, with many even choosing to stay in the city. Local authorities and international organizations have been working to find ways to accommodate the new arrivals, with some companies, such as Femsa, hiring migrants to work in their stores through a program with the United Nations refugee agency.
A survey conducted last year found that the majority of residents in Nuevo Leon, the state where Monterrey is located, believe that migrants should be provided with work. However, there is also a division in opinions, with some feeling that Mexico should admit more migrants while others believe the flow should be stopped. Due to this lack of clear consensus, politicians have been hesitant to address the issue of immigration in their campaigns, according to political analyst Luis Mendoza Ovando.
Ricardo Cobián, a 30-year-old business owner in Monterrey, acknowledges that the next administration will have to deal with immigration, but he believes it is not a top priority for the nation as a whole. Despite the challenges and debates surrounding immigration, the people of Monterrey seem to have a more pragmatic approach, with a focus on providing opportunities and support for those who have arrived in their city.
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