The Mexican government has announced the implementation of a “panic button” to assist its nationals in the United States who face the threat of deportation. This measure comes as Donald Trump, re-elected as President, prepares to take office on January 20, with plans to intensify immigration enforcement.
“If you face imminent arrest, you can activate the panic button, which will send an alert to the nearest consulate,” said Mexico’s Foreign Minister, Juan Ramón de la Fuente, during a press conference.
Mexico operates a network of over 50 consulates across the United States, serving approximately 12 million Mexican migrants, excluding those with dual citizenship or Mexican descendants.
The panic button application will also notify the relatives of individuals at risk of deportation and alert Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. According to De la Fuente, the app will be available starting in January.
Trump has described unauthorized migration across the U.S.-Mexico border as an “invasion” and has pledged to carry out “the largest deportation operation in U.S. history.” He plans to achieve this by declaring a state of emergency and deploying the military to assist.
Mexico is also in communication with governments from other migrant-sending nations in the region, such as Honduras and Guatemala. A ministerial meeting among these countries is being organized, said De la Fuente.
Additionally, the Mexican government is preparing a document highlighting the contributions of Mexican workers to the U.S. economy. “Many of them live and work without legal documentation in the United States,” noted Claudia Sheinbaum, President of Mexico, during a joint press conference with the Foreign Minister.
