MEXICO CITY (AP) - Mexican officials demanded Monday that the United States stop a pilot program
in which undocumented migrants are deported hundreds of miles away from where they crossed the
border.
Mexico turned up the pressure on the U.S. government over the controversial program, known as
"lateral repatriation," even though U.S. officials have said they plan to end the program Tuesday
anyway.
"We have insisted on the immediate cancellation of lateral repatriation, given that it is a violation of
human rights," Interior Secretary Santiago Creel told reporters Monday.
"It also interrupts the good relations that we have had with the United States in talks on the migration
issue," Creel said.
U.S. officials have said the pilot program is set to run Sept. 8-30, and will be ended this week in order
to give officials time to evaluate its success.
The U.S. Border Patrol plan has involved busing or flying each day 300 single adult illegal immigrants
caught crossing from Mexico into Arizona to several ports in Texas.
The aim was to break up relationships between migrants and smugglers and hence reduce crossings
in the dangerous Arizona desert area.
Mexican officials objected to the program because male migrants are handcuffed during the
repatriation trips, and are sent to Mexican border cities where they often have no connections, friends
or family.
While the United States plans to indefinitely suspend the program anyway, Creel said Mexico sent an
"energetic" diplomatic letter to the United States and "we are waiting for an answer in the next few
hours."
"We have been told they are considering our request," Creel told a news conference.
