Reintegration contexts: return migration and multilevel policies in Mexico

• In Event: Back home: Well-being of return migrants in Mexico

Abstract

Return migration to Mexico has been a topic of public and governmental interest at different moments of the 20th century. Due to the high costs and risks associated with unauthorized border crossings, return migration was an issue of great concern during the 2008 financial crisis in the United States. A massive return has been alarming for Mexican authorities given the high volume of deportations during the Obama administration and the anti-immigrant rhetoric of the Trump administration. The main objective of this paper is to analyze return migration to Mexico and multilevel policies –by the three levels of government–, emphasizing (i) the contexts of reintegration/'reinsertion' in localities, states and migratory regions; (ii) the vulnerabilities of undocumented and deported people; and (iii) public actions that serve and support the returnee population, with emphasis on access to identity documentation, education and health services. Preliminary results indicate that there are challenges in inter-governmental coordination and collaboration, resulting in the lack of effective and comprehensive reintegration programs. This situation is not contributing to reduce the high vulnerability of those who have experienced deportation or forced return as individuals or family units, particularly during their first year in Mexico. It is not enough to remove institutional barriers at the national level limiting access to rights, it is essential to develop programs that address specific vulnerabilities of returnees and to improve inter-governmental coordination between municipalities, states and other key regional institutions.

Author

• Rodolfo Cruz Piñeiro, El Colegio de la Frontera Norte