Biden: Honey on flakes or gruel with your finger?

We remember the immigration policy of the past administration and we think of a single word: obedient. Mexico presented itself as the faithful watchdog of its neighbor to the north, receiving those declared unwanted by the American government on both borders. Bone? Customs fees. Yes now, no now, if we don't obey they will raise our tariffs. We better behave! Weak and cooperating Andrés Manuel said.

Under this disastrous negotiation, the heavy hand of the Republican leader managed to obtain an immigration police that in just 45 days after the pact managed to reduce the migratory flow by 36.2%. And how not to be efficient if the recently created military instrument, constituted as the National Guard, was designated for the private use of the Americans? If the pats on the back that Trump gave us when he congratulated AMLO for the deployment of more than twenty-seven thousand elements were not easy to achieve.

To have this recognition, we had to “deter” migrants with the militarization of the southern border and at the same time accept asylum seekers from the United States with the famous “Stay in Mexico” program. This project, which seems more like a tourism promotion slogan than a reception program, became famous for everything except supporting migrants. What if he met the goal? Of course it did, it allowed migrants to stay in Mexican territory while they solved the administrative procedures for obtaining American citizenship. But apparently no one mentioned that the Mexican government had a responsibility to care for them, since American authorities continually reported that asylum seekers were being sent to some of the most dangerous cities in the Mexican territory, exposing them "unnecessarily and predictably." to risks of kidnapping, rape and assaults, among others.

In this context, the arrival of Joe Biden seems like a real life saver, since since he assumed the presidency on January 20 of this year, he announced that his administration would focus on the immigration situation, announcing that an immigration reform would be carried out to support undocumented to obtain residency, give "Dreamers" citizenship and discourage migration through an investment of four billion dollars in Central America.

In accordance with this reform constituted as U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021 or the American Citizenship Act 2021, migrants could live and work legally for a period of five years, then they could apply for a residence and stay legally for an additional three years while the administrative process is processed to receive citizenship. The 700,000 "Dreamers" (children who entered the American territory as infants and are now young), could obtain their "green card" immediately. And finally, the determinants that encourage migration from the Northern Triangle would be combated. To do so, an investment of four billion dollars was planned that would be invested in the region over four years to avoid displacement to the north.

But before you continue to light candles and pray for the reform to pass, ask yourselves what will happen to the “Stay in Mexico” program? Why is the American government very quiet on this issue? If they brag about their reform in all the media, why don't they brag that Mexico no longer has to do that “little job”? Could it be that they are giving us atole with their finger?

Although there are some controversial issues, such as the fact that Biden needs a fairy godmother who would take the form of ten Republicans who vote for the reform so that it does not fall into filibustering (the equivalent of limbo); or that Obama tried to make a similar reform and ended up being used by the Republicans (which is why we now remember his administration as the one with the largest deportations in the history of the United States); The American government announced that it will once again receive asylum seekers who were forced by the "Stay in Mexico" program to remain in Mexican territory.

Freed we went out and even the president dried the drops of sweat, who had Human Rights behind him for nothing. Why hasn't this news had the media impact that the 2021 American Citizenship Act? Because Biden has full authority to stop this program put in place under the Trump era. On the other hand, for the reform to pass, he needs to negotiate with the opposition party and achieve what never before, stop the filibustering.

Atole with your finger? Perhaps that is what the Republicans will give Biden, but while that is happening, phase one of the return to American soil of asylum seekers who were excluded on Mexican territory has already begun.