Looking ahead to the presidential elections on November 5 in the United States, the civil association Poder Migrante warns that almost 250,000 Yucatecans are at risk of being deported, especially if Donald Trump wins.
This, they assure, will bring with it a labor demand in Yucatán that they intend to mitigate with an agricultural project, for which they will request support from the government and private initiative.
The members of this association remember that migrants contribute 7 billion pesos in remittances, which is why they also urge the authorities to create the Migrant Secretariat in Yucatán.
Miguel Ángel Martínez Contreras, president of Poder Migrante, explained that, of Yucatecans living in the United States, around 40% are at risk of deportation, which could have economic and social repercussions for both their families and the state.
“The outlook is uncertain and worrying, not only for migrants and their families but also for the government, society, and the business sector in Yucatán,” warned Martínez Contreras.
During a press conference held during the third anniversary of the association, he expressed that a massive return would directly affect the remittances sent from the United States, which in 2023 exceeded 7 billion pesos in Yucatán, providing economic stability to more than 50 municipalities.
For Miguel Ángel Martínez, the possible deportation of thousands of migrants entails multiple challenges. The Yucatecan economy, especially in rural areas, he specified, depends significantly on remittances.
The leader of Poder Migrante warned that a reduction in the flow of remittances would decrease economic activity in dozens of municipalities and in various companies that depend on this income, impacting the entire community.
“This loss of income could destabilize not only local economies, but also the social peace, characteristic of our state,” he explained.
Given this context, he urged the new federal and state governments and the private sector to work together to design policies that generate job opportunities and avoid an economic collapse.
Poder Migrante proposed a strategy to confront this possible crisis: the creation of agricultural developments in Yucatán that offer employment to returning migrants, as well as their families.
This agricultural project seeks to have government and business support to establish a food production system that strengthens the state economy and provides a source of stable employment for deportees.
Poder Migrante also called on state authorities to consider creating a Migrant Secretariat in Yucatán to address the needs of migrants and their families.
Miguel Ángel Martínez stressed that this institution could manage specific projects, funds, and programs for the migrant population so that economic relations between the United States and Yucatán can be maintained.
TYT Newsroom
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