On Thursday, Honduras expressed its rejection of anti-immigrant measures aiming to halt the flow of people through criminalization. This comes after the approval of at least two initiatives by the Texas state Congress.
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In the past week, the Republican-controlled Texas House of Representatives approved Senate Bill 4, making undocumented border crossing a misdemeanor and requiring the justice system to order the return of foreigners to Mexican soil for processing.
If the foreigner fails to comply with the judge's order or has a criminal record, the offense becomes serious, carrying a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
Texan legislators also passed Senate Bill 3, allocating US$1.5 billion to build border barriers and providing funds to law enforcement to patrol the border and immigrant settlements.
"We categorically reject the measures contained in these laws because they criminalize migration and lead to the forced return of migrants. This would raise questions about international norms, without having reached an agreement with Mexico on a readmission accord, a competence of the U.S. federal authorities," the Honduran diplomacy stated.
While Honduras acknowledges the right of each country to safeguard its borders, its diplomats emphasized their "obligation to protect our compatriots residing abroad to preserve their rights and guarantees."
Currently, Honduras is working with the United States within the framework of the Los Angeles Declaration, advocating for "safe, orderly, and regular migration, as well as cooperation between nations to address the issue of human mobility," the Honduran Foreign Affairs Ministry noted.
"The return of our compatriots must be governed by the principle of due process and in strict respect for international human rights standards," it emphasized, adding that Honduras made a "respectful" call to Texas to "reconsider the measures that have been approved to the detriment of the migrant population."