by Jackie Guzman
The Mexican government estimates thousands of its citizens will return by the end of the year. The U.S. economic crisis and raids are pushing migrants back, according to El Diario de Mexico. Authorities in the Mexican state of Puebla say around 20,000 migrants will be returning. Government expects in Querétaro the number around 50,000 for their state and Oaxaca state officials estimate about 25,000 nationals returning.
In Puebla, Carlos Olamendi Torres, commissioner of Atention Del Migrante Poblano, says the majority of returning migrants are construction workers who have previously contributed close to $600 million in remittances to the state.
Some state governments, admitting they are unprepared to receive thousands of returning nationals, are working with communities to create new jobs and encourage new forms of investment for migrant opportunities.
“We do not have any specifi c support for this,” said Alfredo Botello Montes, secretary of the state government in Querétaro, “however, we are working to generate the specific conditions to keep Querétaro as a state that invests to offer a good quality of life.” Querétaro awaits the federal government to come up with its own program.
In the state of Mexico the legislature approved measures to create a group to provide support to the returning emigrants and a legislative commission to encourage citizenship participation. Hispanic Link.
