Salamanca, Guanajuato, May 17.- Mexico will pursue legal action against an anti-immigrant law in Florida, United States, to prevent arbitrary actions against Mexicans, the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE), Marcelo Ebrard, announced yesterday.
During his visit to Salamanca to inaugurate the new Foreign Ministry office, the foreign minister said the government will defend its citizens who suffer violations of their rights, and if these violations are systematic, the country will take the cases to the United Nations Human Rights Council.
In the case of Florida, he explained, "We've already reviewed the law; I'll be there on Sunday to meet with fellow citizens and consuls and to pursue all the necessary resources to prevent any arbitrary actions by the authorities (in that state)."
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a Republican presidential hopeful, signed a state law last week that provides for up to 15 years in prison for anyone who transports undocumented immigrants into the state, as well as fines for employers who hire such migrants, among other measures.
The law also mandates the relocation of undocumented immigrants to other states and strengthens companies' obligations to verify, through a federal computer system called E-Verify, whether the person they hire is legally entitled to work in the United States.
It also prohibits counties from allocating funds to organizations that issue ID cards and requires hospitals to report if they treat undocumented foreigners.
The United States maintains that it defends fundamental rights, but laws like Florida's are inhumane and contrary to the basic rights of individuals, Ebrard said.
He pointed out that DeSantis wants to gain popularity in the most racist sectors of his state, based on racist legislation, the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized. "The United States owes a lot to migrants, even everything."
