When it comes to the issue of illegal immigration, people may first think of Mexican immigrants crossing the US-Mexico border, or African immigrants smuggled into Europe and the British Isles by boat. The emergence of illegal immigration is mainly due to regional security issues and extremely uneven economic development. Nowadays, in South America, this situation is also getting worse.
According to Al Jazeera , a 28-year-old Venezuelan woman, Frankski Flamis, dragging her ten-month-old daughter Maria, is now more than 7,000 kilometers away from her hometown. During the day, she made money by selling candies on the street while holding her daughter in one hand and holding a colorful paper bag in the other while vehicles were waiting at the red light. She was looking forward to using the money to buy some food for her children. She also hoped that she could collect enough money to rent a room tonight so that she would not have to sleep on the street with her children in such cold weather.
Frankski, like hundreds of thousands of her compatriots, crossed the Atacama Desert from Venezuela two weeks ago and entered Chile as an illegal immigrant. She told reporters: "It was a Bolivian who helped us cross the border at night. We could only crawl forward so that we would not be seen. We could not make a sound when we passed the fences and trenches, and the children could not cry. This way We won't get caught by the police."
Although tens of thousands of immigrants from Central America to Haiti and Cuba climb fences or swim across rivers in an attempt to cross the border into the United States. But now the migration crisis across the Americas no longer flows just from south to north. According to United Nations, nearly 6 million Venezuelans have chosen to immigrate in order to escape difficult conditions at home. Most of them migrate south, with Colombia, Peru, Argentina and Chile being their most common destinations. Selected destination.
Interregional migration has increased by 66% in the past decade, which has had an impact on public services and resources in receiving countries. Neida Colmenares, a Chilean public policy expert, said: “These countries have legal rights and responsibilities to ensure social stability and provide corresponding conditions to create happiness and peace of mind for immigrants, while also "Ensuring that this irregular influx of immigrants does not lead to problems such as poverty, human trafficking and exploitation," said Heraldo Muñoz, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Chile, said that this is a major regional challenge. "I think sharing this burden is now a fundamental issue. This is what happened in Europe, and it was difficult at the time, and they then instituted a system of immigration quotas. I think something similar could be explored at least in the Americas."
United Nations The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean proposed a "Marshall Plan" for Central America (also known as the "European Recovery Plan" after World War II). The implementation of this plan will of course require funding, especially from the United States. Although US President Joe Biden ( Joe Biden ) has provided $4 billion to create better jobs and ensure security. But so far, the money has only been given out in a trickle.
Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador(Andrés Manuel López Obrador) said: "We cannot just rely on closed borders, tough laws, or walls and police Fight immigration. We need to give people well-being and security, as well as peace in the countries where immigrants are sent.”
At the Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles in June this year, heads of state had hoped to treat this issue as a regional cooperation. Main topics.However, as the host, the United States' own priorities are currently focused on other aspects. Biden President's attitude on this issue is only to express strong condemnation of illegal immigration. In the "Immigration Declaration" jointly promulgated with other countries did not involve any substantive assistance or measures.
Frankski is still tirelessly holding the small bag of candy to every car window. Can she earn enough money she needs? Can she and little Maria find a place to live as they wish? Nobody knows.
Editor of this article: nbaliker
