Mexico Mulls Accepting US Money to Deport Immigrants

MEXICO CITY — Mexican officials say they're considering whether they'll accept money from the U.S. for immigration enforcement in their country.

Mexican officials, in a statement, are only committing to continuing their cooperation to reduce illegal immigration. The Trump administration wants to offer them $20 million in additional aid for just that, according to a report first made by the New York Times.

That's not that much money compared to the hundreds of millions Mexico already spends every year deporting migrants, said Tony Payan of the Baker Institute, a think tank in Houston.

"I suspect that money is really symbolic, that Washington wants to claim some sort of political victory, and that it wants to announce there is a new partnership with Mexico," Payan said.

The vast majority of undocumented migrants in Mexico come from impoverished Central American countries. Mexican authorities have deported about half a million Central American migrants over the last four years.

This story is from the Fronteras Desk, a collaboration of Southwestern public radio stations, including NPR 89.1. Read more from the Fronteras Desk.