Blue Mass Group

Reality-based commentary on politics.

  • Shop
  • Subscribe to BMG
  • Contact
  • Log In
  • Front Page
  • All Posts
  • About
  • Rules
  • Events
  • Register on BMG

Migrants Live the American Nightmare

August 14, 2007 By kyledeb

Both U.S. Progressives and Conservatives are guilty of neglecting Emigration States.  Very few act in the true interests of Mexicans, Guatemalans, Salvadorans, Hondurans, etc.  Progressives will often pick up a sexy issue, like when the Ejercito Zapatista de Liberacion Nacional rebelled against NAFTA, or more recently as locals have struggled to regain control of their sacred traditions in Oaxaca.  Social conservatives will complain about the horrible working conditions for people in Emigration States only when their jobs are shipped abroad.  But who’s there for the people in this Prensa Libre article?  They’ll fight like hell for them while they’re in the U.S. but when they’re back home no one is there for them.  Migration advocates are divided by national boundaries even though they are trying to deal with an international problem. 

People will scream about families being seperated in the U.S. but where were they when the families were seperated in the first place as people decided to leave?  People will yell about the deaths at the U.S. border but who brings to light the many deaths that occur before migrants even come close to the U.S.?  Conservatives want to send migrants home but they don’t realize they are forcing more people to leave in the process. 

I try to advocate from a Guatemalan perspective but it’s lonely, and as a privileged white male, I’m not the most effective advocate.  Still I want to bring people’s attention to one of issues that I have been bringing up since I started this blog.  The Prensa Libre article on the 24,000 deportees that are going to be sent back to the country has some excellent analysis on what this means for Guatemala.  Luis Linares, an analyst from the Guatemalan Association of Social Investigations and Studies (ASIES), has this to say:

For Luis Linares, analyst from ASIES, the increasing deportations are going to further aggravate the social situation in the country.

First, because every time more unemployed people arrive in the country that need to find work, and because the families that depended on remittances from the United States are left without that income. 

“The impact on the national economy might not seem notable, but for many families it is a serious problem,” explained Linares.

He signaled that it will have a marked effect on the Central American region, now that the massive return of migrants is being noted in all of the countries on the Isthmus. 

The challenge for the country, said Linares, is the creation of employment,  both to make opportunities for the people that return and also to avoid having Guatemalans making the march abroad to look for resources.

U.S. deportation policies have ravaged the hemisphere.  They have exported gangs that used to be relegated to Los Angeles, Mara 18 and Mara Salvatrucha, all over the hemisphere.  Crime in places like Guatemala is skyrocketing, exceeding civil war levels, when over 200,000 people were killed.  Just yesterday a Guatemalan mayor was killed (BBC article and Prensa Libre article), the eighth to be assasinated since 2003.  And I’m not even talking about the economic consequences that Linares states very clearly up above.  Not only are masses of unemployed people being dumped in the country but the people they used to support are now suffering.  This is a crisis for Guatemala, bigger than anything that the United States is confronting.

What is even more frustrating is how simple the solution is.  Guatemala’s Ministry for External Relations is working on this program:

She insisted that considering the situation, Guatemalans should weigh very seriously the decision to march off to the United States, because they risk their lives and there is a good chance they will get deported.  “They shouldn’t leave because there is a lot of danger,” said Altolaguirre.

The Ministry plans to start a complete program to assist deportees, this month, in which they will offer psychological and legal support, in addition to subsidies and assessment to help find employment, but they need 11 million quetzales.

For only 11 million quetzales, less than $1.5 million, you can drastically increase the support system for these migrants and at the very least help integrate them into a society that is not prepared to deal with them.  Compare this with the $500 million that Colombia recieves in military aid, some of which goes to fund a batallion whose sole purpose is protecting a multinational petrochemical company.  Compare this with the billions that the U.S. is spending on enforcement.

When are people going to start debating the things that really matter in the so-called U.S. “immigration debate”?

Please share widely!
fb-share-icon
Tweet
0
0

Filed Under: User Tagged With: bbc, deportation, elzn, gangs, guatemala, immigration, latinos, mara-18, mara-salvatrucha, maras, mexico, ministry-for-external-relations, news, oaxaca, prensa-libre

Comments

  1. jimc says

    August 14, 2007 at 5:37 pm

    — do we give to Guatemala? More than $1.5 million, I assume?

    <

    p>
    That’s a friendly question, but I’m just wondering why whatever aid we already give to Guatemala can’t be tapped.

    • kyledeb says

      August 14, 2007 at 6:41 pm

      I don’t know what the exact numbers but I know USAID is getting its funding in Guatemala cut year after year.  The State Department just promised $1 million to tackle gangs in the entire region which is a pittance.

  2. sabutai says

    August 14, 2007 at 8:10 pm

    And lest we forget, neglect is the best but not the only disposition the United States was adopted toward Guatemala and its neighbors.  The nefarious dictatorships sponsored by the American company United Fruit, with a hand from the American government, certainly didn’t set the country up for economic success.

    • kyledeb says

      August 14, 2007 at 8:40 pm

      The U.S. can keep its hand out of Guatemala if it so desires, and maybe you’re right in stating that is best.  Still, that doesn’t mean that it should be hurting the country forcing the country to absorb thousands of deportees without any help.

      • jimc says

        August 15, 2007 at 11:19 am

        Why are more deportees in Guatemala than in neighboring states?

        • kyledeb says

          August 15, 2007 at 4:27 pm

          to the United States after Mexico and it is the most populous Central American country.  That doesn’t mean other countries are that much further behind, though.

Recommended Posts

  • No posts liked yet.

Recent User Posts

Predictions Open Thread

December 22, 2022 By jconway

This is why I love Joe Biden

December 21, 2022 By fredrichlariccia

Garland’s Word

December 19, 2022 By terrymcginty

Some Parting Thoughts

December 19, 2022 By jconway

Beware the latest grift

December 16, 2022 By fredrichlariccia

Thank you, Blue Mass Group!

December 15, 2022 By methuenprogressive

Recent Comments

  • blueeyes on Beware the latest griftSo where to, then??
  • Christopher on Some Parting ThoughtsI've enjoyed our discussions as well (but we have yet to…
  • Christopher on Beware the latest griftI can't imagine anyone of our ilk not already on Twitter…
  • blueeyes on Beware the latest griftI will miss this site. Where are people going? Twitter?…
  • chrismatth on This site (will be disabled on) December 31, 2022I joined BMG late - 13 years ago next month and three da…
  • SomervilleTom on Geopolitics of FusionEVERY un-designed, un-built, and un-tested technology is…
  • Charley on the MTA on This site (will be disabled on) December 31, 2022That’s a great idea, and I’ll be there on Sunday. It’s a…

Archive

@bluemassgroup on Twitter

#mapoli

headlineoptics Headline Optics @headlineoptics ·
3 Apr

OTR: Diana DiZoglio discusses potential retaliation from Mass. Legislature over audit https://www.masspolicyreport.com/2023/04/03/otr-diana-dizoglio-discusses-potential-retaliation-from-mass-legislature-over-audit/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter @masspolicy #MApoli #Massachusetts

Reply on Twitter 1642902408245420032 Retweet on Twitter 1642902408245420032 Like on Twitter 1642902408245420032 Twitter 1642902408245420032
masspolicy MassPolicyReport @masspolicy ·
3 Apr

Mass. Conservatives Win Big in Second MassGOP Caucus: Crush Baker 2.0/Establishment Candidate https://www.masspolicyreport.com/2023/04/03/mass-conservatives-win-big-in-second-massgop-caucus-crush-baker-2-0-establishment-candidate/ #Massachusetts #MApoli #bospoli #MassPolicyReport

Reply on Twitter 1642902143123202050 Retweet on Twitter 1642902143123202050 Like on Twitter 1642902143123202050 Twitter 1642902143123202050
sabadosama Lindsay Sabadosa @sabadosama ·
3 Apr

A huge pleasure to join @RepDylan as he launched the #Massachusetts Friends of UK Legislative Caucus at the home of the @FCDOPeterAbbott. It was wonderful to talk about how we can collaborate to benefit constituents and deepen long-standing ties! #mapoli

2

Reply on Twitter 1642900909020569600 Retweet on Twitter 1642900909020569600 Like on Twitter 1642900909020569600 Twitter 1642900909020569600
theaaholcomb Thea Holcomb @theaaholcomb ·
3 Apr

If you're familiar with #mapoli I have questions for you!

My intern is applying for an internship there - obvs I'm thrilled. 😊 What should she know about how the MA legislature is staffed? What other essential knowledge would you pass along?

Reply on Twitter 1642899676125970436 Retweet on Twitter 1642899676125970436 Like on Twitter 1642899676125970436 1 Twitter 1642899676125970436
masspolicy MassPolicyReport @masspolicy ·
3 Apr

Mounting evidence that the citizens of MA are over taxed https://www.masspolicyreport.com/2023/04/03/mounting-evidence-that-the-citizens-of-ma-are-over-taxed/ #Massachusetts #MApoli #bospoli #MassPolicyReport

Reply on Twitter 1642898875705970690 Retweet on Twitter 1642898875705970690 Like on Twitter 1642898875705970690 Twitter 1642898875705970690
erintiernan Erin Tiernan @erintiernan ·
3 Apr

It's April in #mapoli which means budget season is in full swing. The House will soon pitch a tax relief proposal alongside their 2024 fiscal plan.
- @MBTA staffing shortage cou;d keep trains from running on time
- Auditor DiZoglio won't back down
https://masster-list.com/2023/04/03/massachusetts-house-tax-package-could-be-a-tango-with-healey/

Reply on Twitter 1642898790221770752 Retweet on Twitter 1642898790221770752 1 Like on Twitter 1642898790221770752 Twitter 1642898790221770752
Load More

From our sponsors




Google Calendar







Search

Archives

  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • Twitter




Copyright © 2023 Owned and operated by BMG Media Empire LLC. Read the terms of use. Some rights reserved.