Americas Migration Brief - November 27, 2023
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Table of Contents
Integration and Development
🌎 Regional
A CEPAL report explores the contribution of migration to sustainable development in Chile, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Mexico, and Peru.
🇨🇱 Chile
An IOM study calculates that Venezuelan migrants in Chile generated approximately $409.7 million in tax revenues in 2022, with the potential to “rise to USD $510.1 million if those who participated in the registration process are regularized in 2023.” Public health and education expenditures in 2022 for Venezuelan migrants were estimated at $93 million and $154 million, respectively. (press release)
A CEP survey finds that 69% of Chileans strongly agree or agree that immigrants increase crime rates, “28 points more than the measurement carried out in April-May 2017.” The survey also found majority support for equal access to education for regular migrants and access to health care for all immigrants, regardless of status. (BioBioChile, Cooperativa)
Despite recent high profile news, “in Chile the vast majority of migrants are not linked to criminal activities. Foreigners convicted of a crime who are deprived of liberty correspond proportionally to a number similar to that of Chileans in that condition. In Chile, about 8% of the population is foreign, while foreigners deprived of liberty convicted of a crime respond to a similar proportion.” (La Tercera)
Focusing only on expulsions to address security fears would be ineffective, and “those who commit crimes will probably be able to circumvent different restrictions,” says the Jesuit Migrant Service’s Ignacio Eissmann Araya at El País. “Therefore, the least populist, but most effective, path is to advance in a more expeditious regularization , which allows us to have more and better information about those who arrive in our country: knowing their name and origin, their background and destination, their family ties and occupation.”
Chile’s Congress has passed a rule in the 2024 Budget that “prevents the National Immigration Service from ‘regularizing foreigners who have clandestinely entered the national territory or whose entry is not recorded by the immigration authority,’” reports La Tercera.
“Today there are close to 200 thousand people who entered Chile irregularly… Since that number of people cannot be expelled, the expulsion of those who commit crimes should be prioritized. Those who have registered, do not have a criminal record and are working or have family ties in Chile should have options to regularize themselves,” says Centro de Políticas Migratorias’s Juan Pablo Ramaciotti on Twitter.
As of earlier this month, 105,000 migrants have registered themselves, per AP.
La Tercera highlights the importance of regularization for caregivers and parents to “guarantee the rights of children.”
There are an estimated 25,000 regular Dominican migrants in Chile and 10,000 “in the process of documentation,” including 20,000 Dominicans contributing to the Chilean social security system, reports El Dinero.
🇵🇦 Panama
“The Improving the Efficiency and Quality of the Educational Sector (MECSE) program, through the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)... will provide support to 124 official educational centers throughout the country to enroll migrant children,” reports La Gaceta.
🇲🇽 Mexico
“Since the creation of the Local Integration Program (PIL) by UNHCR in 2016 and until October 2023, ‘more than 35,000 refugees of various nationalities’ have joined ‘the formal economy,’ in Mexico. (Forbes; see last week’s AMB)
🇨🇴 Colombia
“Barranquilla launches pilot project to serve pregnant migrant women… This pilot edition will begin with 300 women, and then be implemented nationwide.” (El Tiempo)
“Many of the millions of Venezuelans living in Colombia have brought their love of baseball to the soccer-passionate country, creating community and a space for integration, reports the New York Times,” notes Jordana Timerman at Latin America Daily Briefing.
🇵🇪 Peru
“Venezuela and Peru faced each other in a 2026 World Cup qualifier in Lima on Wednesday. The game unleashed a diplomatic row between the two countries after both Venezuelan fans and players denounced xenophobic actions from Peruvian state authorities,” notes Caracas Chronicles.
🇪🇨 Ecuador
Despite an estimated 300,000 Venezuelans in Ecuador, just 21,482 are affiliated with social security, says Primicias.
🇨🇦 Canada
“Overall, 89% of the provincial nominees who landed in 2019 had stayed in their intended province or territory by the end of the landing year. However, there was a large variation by province or territory,” reports CIC News, based on a Statistics Canada report on the Provincial Nominee Program.
Asylum, Protection, and Human Rights
🌎 Regional
“At least 1,078 migrants, of which 74 were minors, have died or disappeared on the American continent so far this year,” per IOM, notes EFE.
An UDLAP study “notes that climate migration is the most pressing consequence stemming from the lack of political will to take climate action. According to data collected by a census report prepared in 2021, at least 1.18 million people in (Latin America and the Caribbean) have been internally displaced due to climatic factors,” reports El País.
“Venezuelans are the fourth nationality with the most asylum requests in Europe, with a total of 4,805 in August,” reports EFE.
The international community has a “responsibility to expand regular routes for refugees and migrants and to guarantee safe passage” and to “provide protection,” write Natalia Cintra and Pía Riggirozzi at UNU-CRIS, arguing “The International Community Is Failing the Human Rights of Forced Migrants Crossing the Deadly Darien Gap.”
🇨🇱 Chile
“3 officials of the Chilean Army were detained at the Colchane border on the border with Bolivia for, allegedly, having assaulted and attacked a person of Bolivian nationality who was crossing through an unauthorized crossing in the border area… they allegedly assaulted the victim, took his money and subsequently beat him, leaving him with various injuries,” reports BioBioChile.
“In the midst of the tragic events that have taken place in the Coronel and Valparaíso camps, where eight children lost their lives in fires, World Vision Chile speaks out on the situation of migrant children in the country . Stephanie Coscing, coordinator of Special Projects of the organization specialized in vulnerable children, emphasizes the need for special protection for migrant children and adolescents (NNA) , regardless of their nationality or immigration status,” reports Radio Polar.
🇬🇹 Guatemala
El País highlights “the hell” of migrating through Guatemala and protection issues migrants face in the country, including extortion and sexual violence.
🇺🇸 United States
Unofficial camps in Jacumba, California where Border Patrol brings migrants are “a humanitarian disaster” with “no shelter of any kind from the gusty wind or desert cold,” reports NPR, adding, “Locals say there is barely any oversight.”
The Biden administration should “Reform the asylum system for border arrivals to return it to its rightful place as the last resort for those who need protection, not the first option for those seeking to immigrate… We propose creating a separate and expedited asylum process for migrants who cross the border illegally between ports of entry while expanding and incentivizing processing at ports of entry,” writes Bipartisan Policy Center’s Theresa Cardinal Brown at The Hill.
🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
Over 13,000 people have been displaced by recent torrential rains in the Dominican Republic, notes Latin America Daily Briefing. (see last week’s AMB)
El Pitazo highlights the impact for Venezuelan migrants in the country.
🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago
“The arrest of 21 Venezuelan men, women and children during the Covid-19 pandemic, and their imprisonment in atrocious conditions at two police stations for three weeks, have led to the State having to fork out millions in compensation to the migrants,” reports Daily Express.
🇨🇦 Canada
Canada “says it will provide Peel Region with $7 million to help it open a new reception centre near Toronto's Pearson International Airport for asylum seekers.” (CBC)
Migratory Institutions and Regional and Bilateral Cooperation
🌎 Regional
Quito Process countries met in Chile last week to discuss Venezuelan migration in Latin America and the Caribbean. (El Venezolano, press release)
The US Regional Processing Centers in Ecuador have opened. (El Universo, El Pitazo)
🇻🇪🇨🇱 Chile and Venezuela
Venezuela reportedly rejected a flight of deportees from Chile, leading to Chilean officials to reiterate their calls for a Chile-Venezuela bilateral agreement to facilitate deportations. (CNN)
Chile confronts a similar dynamic with Bolivia, which has rejected over 12,000 deportations of those irregularly entering Chile through Colchane since January, says Radio Paulina.
🇨🇴 Colombia
La Silla Vacia explores the current state of data collection and publication on migrants in Colombia.
Labor Migration
🇲🇽 Mexico
“Mexico has more than one million job openings nationwide, according to business association Coparmex, and employers in the tourism, agricultural, transportation, and manufacturing industries often struggle to find workers. According to a Coparmex survey of more than 2,500 businesses released in July, 85% of employers in manufacturing report trouble finding workers, more than in any other sector… The migration director for Mexico's foreign ministry, Arturo Rocha, said the government is focused on expanding work visa programs and linking employers with job-seeking migrants, especially ‘to leverage nearshoring.’ Mexico is working with Guatemala's government to bring up to 20,000 workers to Mexico annually, with an aim of eventually expanding the program to Honduras and El Salvador,” reports Reuters.
🇨🇦 Canada
“When questioned by her on whether temporary workers should be given a direct path to permanent residence, (Immigration Minister) Miller said that his government was considering such a route for construction workers. However, he does not believe that all temporary workers should have an automatic route to citizenship, and neither does he believe in abolishing the closed work permit,” reports Immigration. (see last week’s AMB)
Migrants in Transit
🇪🇨🇵🇪 Peru and Ecuador
From November 11-22—following the beginning of planned expulsions of irregular migrants—5,250 mainly Venezuelan foreigners left Peru through Tumbes, reports Infobae. Migrants are entering Ecuador from Peru through irregular channels, says El Universo. (see last week’s AMB)
🇲🇽 Mexico
Mexican organized crime is fighting over control of migrant smuggling routes in Sonora, reports InSight Crime, adding, “the harder it is to cross the border, the more organized crime groups like the Sinaloa Cartel profit.”
🇧🇷 Brazil
“The flow of migrants on (the state of) Acre's border with Peru and Bolivia continues at a rapid pace and support shelters in cities in the interior of the state are full,” reports G1, adding that “The government of Acre published on November 1st the decree that provides for the implementation of the Humanitarian Crisis committee in Acre, for discussion and adoption of measures related to the migratory flow in Acre.”
🇨🇴 Colombia
A new migration route from Colombia to Panama travels on the Pacific Coast, departing Colombia from Juradó, according to the Attorney General.
🇨🇱 Chile
The mayor of Colchane, a Chilean town bordering Bolivia, says that irregular migration entering Chile’s northern border has continued through new channels in spite of increased border enforcement at Colchane. (VilasRadio)
Borders and Enforcement
🌎 Regional
The US has “launched a new visa restriction policy targeting individuals running charter flights into Nicaragua designed primarily for irregular migrants,” per a press release.
The cost of said charter flights from Cuba to Nicaragua have since skyrocketed, but they have not been canceled, says 100%Noticias.
“The Biden administration is planning to deploy a team of U.S. immigration officials to Panama to help local authorities screen and deport migrants traveling through the Central American country,” reports CBS.
🇨🇱 Chile
Chile’s government has made three legislative proposals to facilitate and expedite deportations, reports InfoMigra.
An additional bill to facilitate the deportation of migrants convicted of drug trafficking in Chile has been blocked by the opposition in the Senate, according to the National Director of Migrations. (Infinita)
Amid pressure from the opposition, the Chilean government “confirms that it will carry out expulsion flights for irregular immigrants,” reports La Vanguardia.
Chile’s opposition is calling for a law to imprison migrants that enter the country irregularly. “The discussion has not only raised major differences between the ruling party and the opposition, but also between the parliamentarians of the government coalition,” says Emol.
Demographic Trends
🇬🇾 Guyana
“Minister of Foreign Affairs Hugh Todd on Monday disclosed that 80% of migrants from Venezuela are either Guyanese or of Guyanese parentage… In February this year the government estimate of migrants who had entered Guyana from Venezuela was around 40,000,” says Stabroek News.
🇵🇾 Paraguay
“The director of the National Institute of Statistics (INE), Iván Ojeda, commented that in the last 20 years around half a million more people emigrated from Paraguay than immigrated,” reports ABC.
More on Migration
🌎 Regional
An IDHC report explores the inclusion of human mobility in national adaptation planning across several Latin American countries.
🇬🇹 Guatemala
Bloomberg highlights the use of remittances to create opportunities at home in Guatemala and deter migratory intentions.
🇭🇳 Honduras
“Of every 10 Hondurans, 7 aspire to emigrate, a Fosdeh study reveals” (Proceso Digital)