Director General Vanessa Calva visits Florida to strengthen Mexico’s consular actions in light of the state’s anti-immigrant legislation

Director General Vanessa Calva visits Florida to strengthen Mexico's consular actions in light of the state's anti-immigrant legislation

Director General Vanessa Calva visited Florida from June 5-9, meeting with the community, civil associations, human rights organizations, lawyers and local authorities ahead of enactment of the anti-immigrant law SB1718.
She said that the Government of Mexico would collaborate in legal challenges to the law.
The Director General inaugurated the second annual legal advice week for the community in Florida.
On the instructions of Foreign Secretary Marcelo Ebrard and Chief Officer for North America Roberto Velasco, the Director General of Consular Protection and Strategic Planning, Vanessa Calva Ruiz, traveled to Florida from June 5-9 to meet with members of the community, civil associations, human rights organizations, lawyers and local authorities ahead of enactment of the anti-immigrant SB1718 law. The Mexican consulates in Miami and Orlando coordinated the meetings.

In Miami, together with Consul General Jonathan Chait, Director General Calva inaugurated the second annual Legal Advice Week in the U.S., which was held from June 5-9 by all of Mexico's diplomatic offices. She emphasized the consular actions, programs and services provided by Mexico's representations in order to serve the Mexican community in a proactive, preventive and comprehensive manner, particularly in specific areas such as migration, criminal matters, family civil matters and cases of gender violence and sexual orientation. These actions are provided through the Legal Assistance Program for Mexicans and the External Legal Assistance Program (PALE) under the slogan "Know and Exercise Your Rights."

Director General Calva and the consular protection teams of both consulates held information sessions on SB1718 in Miami, Homestead, Immokalee, Jupiter, Orlando, Baker, Jacksonville and Pearson, to share specific recommendations regarding our community's rights, with a focus on consular notification, and the analyses of the new law that have been done by lawyers, authorities and organizations. Representatives from local police and sheriff's offices also participated, to tell the community that their job is to protect citizens and maintain order, and not to investigate their immigration status.

Meetings were held with civil organizations in order to create a statewide working group to promote the rights of the immigrant community, provide reliable information on the law, and develop strategies for their protection and defense. The organizations include the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Florida Immigration Coalition (FLIC), Americans for Immigrant Justice (AIJ), League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), We Count! and the Anti-Defamation League, Mi Familia Vota, The Farmworkers Association of Florida, Hope Community Center, the Florida Mexican Coalition, Amigos Helping, and the Jacksonville Mexican Chamber of Commerce. They will also collaborate in challenging the law in court, for which they will have the support of the Government of Mexico.

The Director General gave interviews on the radio, television and social platforms to explain the specific preventive actions carried out by the Government of Mexico for its community abroad. She publicized the 24-hour, seven days a week telephone assistance provided by the Center for Information and Assistance for Mexicans (CIAM) in the United States and Canada (CIAM).

In Orlando, and accompanied by Consul Juan Sabines, the Director General formally closed the Legal Advice Week there (SALE), reiterating that Mexico's consulates are "Safe Zones," and that they have ample tools to assist our citizens. The priority of the Mexican Government is to protect and defend the rights of all Mexicans abroad.