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Casa

Nov 17, 2010, 9:42 AM

Post #1 of 21 (5293 views)

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Foreigner sues INM

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“An Australian man has filed what activists said Tuesday is the first lawsuit by a migrant against Mexico's immigration service……”

It will be interesting to see the outcome and what kind of precedent (if any) this case sets.

gpkgto

Nov 17, 2010, 10:23 AM

Post #2 of 21 (5277 views)

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Re: [Casa] Foreigner sues INM

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He "had been living in the Mexican resort city of Acapulco on an expired tourist visa since 2004".

Maybe this is the message: don't assume that you won't get caught for violating Mexican laws.

Casa

Nov 17, 2010, 11:09 AM

Post #3 of 21 (5266 views)

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Re: [gpkgto] Foreigner sues INM

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In Reply To

He "had been living in the Mexican resort city of Acapulco on an expired tourist visa since 2004".

Maybe this is the message: don't assume that you won't get caught for violating Mexican laws.

It is true it is best to always have all of your documents in order and not to assume you won't get caught for violating Mexican laws. but.......

Some articles are reporting he was only "caught" after he approached INM to apply for the 2007 amnesty law... (regularizacion).

"Stephen Compton, 46, said immigration officials detained him last November when he approached them in an Acapulco hotel for information on a program to legalise undocumented residents who have legal work."

From The INM website

"No tengas miedo, acude a la oficina del Instituto Nacional de Migración cercana a tu domicilio, el INM cuenta con diferentes opciones para que regularices tu situación migratoria sin ningún problema."

"Do not be afraid, come to the office of the National Migration Institute nearest you, INM has various options to regularize your immigration status without any problem."

Maybe this is the message: Do not trust Mexican INM officials

arbon

Nov 17, 2010, 11:47 AM

Post #4 of 21 (5241 views)

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Re: [Casa] Foreigner sues INM

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I don't believe there is any "precedent" to set, in Mexican or Napoleonic law.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

gpkgto

Nov 17, 2010, 2:27 PM

Post #5 of 21 (5208 views)

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Re: [Casa] Foreigner sues INM

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"he was only "caught" after he approached INM to apply for the 2007 amnesty law"

I checked my calendar--this is 2010.

Casa

Nov 17, 2010, 4:44 PM

Post #6 of 21 (5176 views)

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Re: [gpkgto] Foreigner sues INM

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I checked my calendar--this is 2010.

Yes you are right it is 2010, which means that there is still time to apply for the Mexican Amnesty program, according to the INM.

If one has been in the country undocumented since before Jan 1 2007, as this person had, one has until May 11th 2011 to apply for the amnesty. (it does not mention anything about being locked up for a few months first)

Bennie García

Nov 17, 2010, 4:56 PM

Post #7 of 21 (5171 views)

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Re: [Casa] Foreigner sues INM

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Well now the dude has legal residency. A few months of hassle for legal status. Not ideal but things didn't turn out all that badly. His lawsuit is a joke.

tashby

Nov 17, 2010, 7:37 PM

Post #8 of 21 (5143 views)

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Re: [Bennie García] Foreigner sues INM

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Quote

His lawsuit is a joke.

No kidding. If I had more time and money than sense, I think I'd like to sue a government body just to see what it's like to enter the Twilight Zone.

morgaine7

Nov 17, 2010, 9:33 PM

Post #9 of 21 (5125 views)

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Re: [tashby] Foreigner sues INM

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On another forum site there was a guy who thought he could use NAFTA to sue the Mexican government for not allowing him to nationalize his US car. I suspect he was already in the Twilight Zone.

Kate

richmx2

Nov 18, 2010, 4:15 PM

Post #10 of 21 (5015 views)

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Re: [tashby] Foreigner sues INM

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Anyone ever heard of "Sin Fronteras" — the organization pressing this suit — before this? I hadn't and their website isn't particularly informative. They don't seem to have been around very long. None of which means there's anything illegitimate or dubious about the suit, nor that it isn't being pursued in good faith, but that the whole thing seems to be tilting at windmills.

http://mexfiles.net
http://voiceofmexico.com
http://editorialmazatlan.com

cookj5

Nov 18, 2010, 9:41 PM

Post #11 of 21 (4964 views)

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Re: [Casa] Foreigner sues INM

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I don't quite understand the situation. Why couldn't he have just gone over the border, come in on a new tourist visa, and then applied for an FM3? Why go through all the rigamarole of the amnesty process, with its attendant risks? Am I missing something?

For that matter, why be a scofflaw in the first place? Why not just get your proper documentation? It's not that hard and not that expensive.

(This post was edited by cookj5 on Nov 18, 2010, 9:42 PM)

La Isla

Nov 19, 2010, 9:37 AM

Post #12 of 21 (4894 views)

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Re: [cookj5] Foreigner sues INM

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It beats me too. I think that some people, like the jerk in question, have anti-social tendencies and think it's cool to disregard laws.

chinagringo

Nov 19, 2010, 10:47 AM

Post #13 of 21 (4875 views)

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Re: [cookj5] Foreigner sues INM

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While this particular scofflaw was Australian, I ran across the report which follows stating that 70% of Mexico's illegals are Americans:

http://www.globalpost.com/...immigration?page=0,0

When I read various posts where people wish to bend or skirt the various rules on Immigration or Vehicle Permits, it isn't difficult to comprehend why others are inclined to completely bypass the Laws and Rules that Mexico has in place.
Regards,
Neil
Albuquerque, NM

Reefhound

Nov 19, 2010, 11:20 AM

Post #14 of 21 (4864 views)

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Re: [chinagringo] Foreigner sues INM

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Actually, the article says "70 percent of legal foreign-born Mexicans come from the U.S" and then some "experts" think the ratios of legal and illegal immigrants by home country are similar. But... this article provided no data to support this theory nor did they even identify these "experts".

On the surface, I would think it ludicrous to think that such percentage relationships would remain consistent from country to country given the wide variety in demographics. For example, in the U.S. (and note that I'm providing more reference data than that article) "over one in every two Mexican immigrants is undocumented, compared with about one in every six for the remainder of the foreign born." The same source shows that Mexican immigrants account for about 20% of the legal immigrants but 57% of the illegal immigrants. So clearly those "experts" are dramatically off the mark with respect to immigrants in the U.S.

Demographics and geography and other factors play an important role. Anyone here think that the demographics of Mexico's northern neighbors are comparable to the demographics of their southern neighbors?

Reefhound

Nov 19, 2010, 11:30 AM

Post #15 of 21 (4859 views)

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Re: [chinagringo] Foreigner sues INM

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BTW, how does that article's allegation that others sites "inaccurately" claim that Mexico jails illegals and really Mexico never arrests illegals square with the man filing the lawsuit who was held for 4 months merely for being out of status?

Bennie García

Nov 19, 2010, 11:47 AM

Post #16 of 21 (4852 views)

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Re: [Reefhound] Foreigner sues INM

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Predictably you are once again posting your personal opinion you hold so highly based on one short article in an American newspaper. Someone more objective would withhold judgment with such scant information. As is usual there is probably much more to this than what the article portrays.

But if you insist that your typical knee jerk reponse being accurate then please state where this man was:

1. Jailed?
2. Deported?

Rolly

Nov 19, 2010, 1:17 PM

Post #17 of 21 (4832 views)

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Re: Foreigner sues INM

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I have no information or opinion about this man's experience.

I can state for a fact that the new INM office complex in Gómez Palacio includes a jail where illegals are held pending deportation. Since we have an INM jail in Laguana, I think it is safe to assume that there are other INM jail facilities around the country. My INM cop friend told me the people usually housed in his crowbar hotel are from Central America. He said there have been a few Asians in his care.
He is a very nice guy, but I wouldn't want to be a guest in his hotel.

Rolly Pirate

E-visit me http://Rollybrook.com
On Facebook as Rolly Brook

(This post was edited by Rolly on Nov 19, 2010, 1:17 PM)

Reefhound

Nov 19, 2010, 2:29 PM

Post #18 of 21 (4813 views)

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Re: [Bennie García] Foreigner sues INM

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Predictably you engage in a personal attack based on your own bias rather than facts. You didn't seem to have a problem with others commenting based on the same link.

And there were two links, the Wash Post in post #1 and the Sydney Herald (not an American newspaper) in post #3.

There usually is more to the story but we can only go by what is reported. If we withheld comment until we knew everything about a story we would never be commenting. And note that I am not the one that took this article and started a topic on it.

As for being jailed or "detained", read the links.

Bennie García

Nov 19, 2010, 5:03 PM

Post #19 of 21 (4780 views)

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Re: [Reefhound] Foreigner sues INM

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There usually is more to the story but we can only go by what is reported. If we withheld comment until we knew everything about a story we would never be commenting. And note that I am not the one that took this article and started a topic on it.

As for being jailed or "detained", read the links.

So you admit you form your opinions based on ignorance. What most of us have known all along.

Rolly

Nov 19, 2010, 5:06 PM

Post #20 of 21 (4780 views)

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Re: [Bennie García] Foreigner sues INM

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Come on guys. Let's stick to discussing the subject of the thread and can the personal barbs.

Rolly Pirate

E-visit me http://Rollybrook.com
On Facebook as Rolly Brook

Marlene

Nov 20, 2010, 9:32 AM

Post #21 of 21 (4716 views)

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Re: [Rolly] Foreigner sues INM

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Right you are. Our Mazatlan INM holding cells get used fairly often. Just 2 days ago, a fellow on the run from the USA was nabbed and had the opportunity to spend some time there before he was hastily deported. He had been living here a number of years, according to local reports.

http://www.kold.com/...story.asp?S=13539835