The offices of the Mexican Commission for Refugee Assistance (Eat) newly opened in 10th Street, number 167, Granjas San Antonio neighborhoodmayor’s office Iztapalapaare already known among migrants living in Mexico City and They come to process the documents that allow them to reside in Mexico.
Three weeks after its opening, the building receives dozens of foreigners every day from Cuba, Haiti, Colombia, Guatemalaamong other countries to which applicants do not want to return.
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According to police officers who guard the entrances and provide guidance to foreigners who request information, since they opened, the offices have had a constant flow of people. The Mexican Commission for Refugee Assistance (Comar) moved to Iztapalapa from the Juarez neighborhood, in the municipality Cuauhtémocdue to neighborhood discontent, previously tried to reach the colony Anzuresin the mayor’s office Miguel Hidalgo where also faced protests from local residents.
When there are a lot of people in the new offices, it can take up to an hour for users to process the certificates that recognize them as refugees; but those who only come to sign, a procedure that they must do every 10 days, they take 15 minutes or even less.
The number of humanitarian visitor cards issued in the last three years has tripled
There are people who come to the offices of the Eat without success because they are misguided when it is their first approach with the Mexican authorities in their search for obtain refugee statusaccording to the Eat The first contact must be made through their offices located at NaucalpanThis is the case of Marce, who, with just two weeks in the Mexico Cityneeds a permission to staybut when he went to the new offices they told him that it was not there.
The woman from Guatemala wants to go to Monterreybecause he doesn’t like the country’s capital. “There is no work here and those who do have it are exploited, I want to see if I can get a job in Monterreyis that he – he said pointing to his son – is Mexican,” he added.
He assured that in the Human Rights Commission They told him that in the Eat of Iztapalapa They would help him, but in these offices they told him that he should go to the first contact offices, located in the State of Mexico.
Daniel Garcia is Colombian, Since 2018 he lives in Mexicoand does not fail to sign. He pointed out that in the Eat They interviewed him, to give him a Unique Population Registry Key (CURP) temporary, with which he has been able to access health services and a bank account.
“With the Eat “I have been able to open a bank account and they also give you many benefits, they give you food when you are in a bad situation. When the police stop you here in Mexico, they can’t take you away if you show your CURP. The service is very good, except that it is a little far away,” he said.
For him, Mexico City is a city that makes you fall in love and offers many opportunities To foreigners, more than in his country of origin, he already describes himself as a chilango and plans to bring his parents soon. “I live in Zona Rosa, it is very quiet and I don’t know if it is because of my area; but it is very safe, I can walk at any time (…). I have been here for seven years now, Mexico is my second home,” he said.
Yenlis Reyes Cruz is 21 years old and has been in the Mexican capital for nine months. He arrived fleeing his country, Cubawhere political repression also forced his brother to flee, with whom he currently lives.
“It was really bad, because I had to leave by plane; but I went through three countries, in cars, by bus, walking through mountains, rivers, everywhere. It was 10 days of pure travel, alone, I got sick, I was really bad; but I would do it again a thousand times, even if it was worse, it doesn’t matter,” she said.
He explained that, In Mexico City, what she likes most are all the opportunities she has access to, because that doesn’t happen in her country of origin.that’s why one of his short-term goals is to bring his parents. CubaYenlis was a student of Medicine; now her plan is to study psychology at a public university.
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Although he believed that people in Cuba is more communicative and spontaneous that in the Mexico City, She has always felt welcomed by the capital’s residents, whom she describes as kind and polite.
Questioned about the care she received at the Eatthe young woman pointed out that The office was closed for several weeks.; but since it started operating again, its procedures are simple. Since April of this year, it has met the requirements for its parents to enter the Mexico City and live with her and her brother.