Rising US deportations force Mexico City to increase social services

World Today

In response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s policy on illegal immigration, Mexico’s government is stepping in to help its deported citizens.

CGTN’s Martin Markovits reports.
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Last month, Lupita left her three kids in crime plagued southern Mexico in hopes of making a decent living in the U.S. state of Colorado. On the day she illegally crossed into the United States, Lupita got caught.

“When the immigration authorities apprehended me, they kicked me, they treated me very badly,” Lupita said .

She was detained for almost three weeks in New Mexico. She was then deported and flown to Mexico City, 200 miles away from her hometown with no money in her pockets.

Luckily, she received help from a newly created program, “My First Contact,” which aims to handle the influx of deportees. The project is funded by the city government and costs $500,000 according to officials.

Until a month ago, city government run shelters only helped the homeless. But after U.S. President Trump was sworn into office, Mexico City’s mayor ordered ten facilities to also provide social services to people recently deported from the United States. Since the project was launched, these centers have received up to 400 deportees per week, offering health care, food and money for travel expenses.