A new US government media campaign to warn irregular immigrants about the consequences of entering the country has generated intense debate.
The recent one advertising campaign of the United States National Security Department (DHS) on irregular immigration has generated various reactions.
While some consider it a necessary measure to strengthen the security and compliance with the law, others criticize it for feeding fear and linking irregular immigration with crime.
A “clear” message from the White House
The US National Security Secretary Kristi Noem appears in the campaign issuing a “clear” warning to migrants who intend to irregularly enter the country: “If you are considering entering the United States illegally, or think about it. If you come to Our country and violate our laws, we will find you. Criminals are not welcome in the United States. “
In addition, in the spot the Government's senior official emphasizes that “if you try to enter illegally, you will be trapped, you will be expelled and you can never return.” It also urges those who are already in the nation without papers are “self -supporting” and returning to their countries of origin when considered “criminals” and emphasizes that they will also be deported by the authorities.
The DHS, through a statement, defended the need to “restore security and order at the border”, arguing that “Americans have been victims of lax migratory policies that have allowed the entry of criminals and the increase in traffic of trafficking drugs “. In addition, he pointed out that the initiative seeks to ensure that “those who wish to live and work in the US do so respecting immigration laws.”
Criticism from pro-immigrant organizations
The reaction of activists and experts in immigration policy was not long in coming after knowing the content of this campaign. Thomas Kennedy, spokesman for the Florida Immigrant Coalition (FLIC), considers that the campaign is a “disguised campaign announcement”, more aimed at the Trump anti-immigrant voters base than to immigrants themselves. “This is not a campaign to deter migrants, but a political message paid with the taxes of all of us,” he said in an interview with the Voice of America.
Kennedy also points out that the campaign ignores the importance of immigrants in key sectors of the US economy. “The lack of labor in agriculture, construction and health is a real problem. Sports to workers will only aggravate the crisis,” he said while recalling that “a single deportation costs between $ 27,000 and $ 30,000; we are talking about thousands of thousands of millions of dollars that could be reversed in improving the migratory system. ”
In that sense, the immigration activist also stressed that “the language used in the campaign is aggressive and persecutory. It is not just about saying 'not enter', but a stronger message that says' we will find and expel them.”
“It is a message that infuses fear in communities that are already in a vulnerable situation,” he lamented.
Agustina Vergara Cid, an analyst at Young Voices, agrees that the campaign seeks to “instill fear” and criticizes that associating migration with crime. “The images show people trafficing drugs and committing crimes, when the reality is that most immigrants, documented and undocumented, are peaceful and look for a better life,” he said.
On the campaign, he also questioned the effectiveness of the strategy: “To say that if you follow the law you will find opportunities is a fallacy. For many migrants there is no legal way to enter the US,” he said.
He also criticized that over the years there have been no efforts to promote a migratory reform that gives legal exit to migrants without papers in the US or facilitating the entry of foreign workers with status.
“It is interesting how we are told that if we follow the law we will have opportunities, when in practice there are no real mechanisms so that many of these people can do it. There is no clear way for the regularization of those who are already here,” he insisted.
Support from conservative sectors
From the other side of the spectrum, Fernando Godo, who has worked on the campaign strategy for Hispanics of the Republican Party in Florida, defends the measure. “It is time to put order on the border. We cannot continue allowing the indiscriminate entry of people without papers, many of them without verified background. It is a matter of national security,” he said.
For Godo, the campaign responds to the “clamor of millions of Americans” who feel that previous immigration policies have been too permissive. “Legal and orderly migration is welcome. But those who enter without papers must understand that there are consequences. This is not anti-immigration, it is common sense,” he added.
God also stressed that “those who wish to enter the US must do so in an orderly manner and respect the rules.” “We cannot continue ignoring the impact that irregular migration has on the country's resources, from the health system to public safety,” explained.
While the government and conservative sectors see it as a necessary tool to deter illegal migration and strengthen security, activists and analysts warn that it could foster a climate of fear and misinformation. With the transmission of these ads both in the US and abroad, analysts consulted by VOA recognize that “it remains to be seen” if the campaign will have the desired effect or if, on the contrary, it will intensify polarization around the immigration issue.