June 3, 2016 - Freedomain Radio - Stefan Molyneux
10:08
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| The following is a real pamphlet from Mexico's Secretary of Foreign Relations. | |
| It was translated from Spanish and includes the accompanying illustrations. | |
| Dear Fellow Citizen, This guide tries to provide you with some practical advice that may be useful to you in case you have made the difficult decision to seek new work opportunities outside of your own country. | |
| The safe way to enter another country is by first obtaining your passport which is issued by the delegations of the Secretariat of Foreign Relations and your visa which you request at the embassy or consulate of the country to where you wish to travel. | |
| However, we actually see many cases of Mexicans who try to cross the northern border without the necessary documentation. | |
| Crossing high-risk zones that are very dangerous, especially in desert areas or rivers with strong and not always noticeable currents. | |
| As you listen to this guide, you can also learn some basic questions about legal consequences of your stay in the United States of America without appropriate immigration documents, as well as the rights you have in that country once you are there, independent of your immigration status. | |
| Always keep in mind that there are mechanisms for you to enter the United States of America legally. | |
| In any case, if you encounter problems or difficulties, remember that Mexico has 45 consulates at its disposal in that country whose contact information you also can find in this publication. | |
| Identify your consulate and go to it. | |
| Dangers of crossing in high-risk zones Crossing the river can be very risky, especially if you cross alone and at night. | |
| Thick clothing weighs you down when it's wet and makes it hard to swim or float. | |
| If you cross in the desert, try to travel when the heat is not so intense. | |
| Highways and towns are very far apart so that it could take you several days to find roads and you will not be able to carry food or water for that long. | |
| You could even get lost. | |
| Salted water helps you retain body fluids. | |
| Although you get more thirsty if you drink salted water, the risk of dehydration is lessened. | |
| Dehydration symptoms are little or no perspiration, dryness of eyes and mouth, headache, fatigue and exhaustion, difficulty in walking and reasoning, hallucinations and mirages. | |
| If you get lost, follow utility poles, railroad tracks or furrows. | |
| Be careful of paleros, coyotes, or pateros. | |
| They can deceive you by assuring you they'll cross you, smuggle you across the border, at certain times over mountains or through deserts. | |
| This is not true. | |
| They can put your life in danger, leading you through rivers, irrigation canals, desert areas, along railroad tracks or freeways. | |
| This has caused the death of hundreds of people. | |
| If you decide to use the services of a polero, coyote or patero to cross the border, consider the following precautions to take. | |
| Don't let him out of your sight. | |
| Remember that he's the only one that knows the terrain and therefore is the only one that can guide you safely. | |
| Do not trust anyone who offers to cross you over to the other side and asks you to drive a vehicle or carry a package for him. | |
| Regularly, those packages contain drugs or other prohibited substances. | |
| For that reason, many people have ended up in jail. | |
| If you transport other people, you can be confused with an alien smuggler and be accused of alien smuggling yourself or even vehicle theft. | |
| Don't hand over your minor children to strangers that offer to cross them to the United States. | |
| Do not use false documents or documents of other people nor declare a false nationality. | |
| If you try to cross with documents that are false or that belong to someone else, keep the following in mind. | |
| The use of documents that are false or that belong to someone else is a federal crime in the United States, for which you can be criminally prosecuted and end up in jail, the same as if you give a false name or say you are a U.S. citizen when you are not. | |
| Do not lie to U.S. border crossing or inspection booth agents. | |
| Thank you. | |
| If you are detained... | |
| Do not resist arrest. | |
| Do not assault or insult the officer. | |
| Do not throw stones or other objects at the officers nor at the patrol cars, because this is considered a form of provocation. | |
| If the officers feel they've been assaulted, they will probably use force to detain you. | |
| Raise your hand slowly for them to see you're unarmed. | |
| Do not carry or hold any objects that could be construed as weapons, such as lanterns, screwdrivers, blades, knives, or stones. | |
| If you are detained, don't try to run or escape. | |
| Don't hide in dangerous places. | |
| Don't cross freeways. | |
| It's better for you to be detained for a few hours and be repatriated to Mexico than to get lost in the desert. | |
| Your rights. | |
| If you are arrested, you have rights. | |
| Give your true name. | |
| If you are a minor and are accompanied by an adult, tell the authorities so they do not separate you. | |
| Your rights are To know where you are To request to speak to the nearest Mexican consulate representative in order to receive help To not make statements or sign documents, especially if they are in English, without the aid of a defense attorney or Mexican government consulate representative To receive medical attention if you are injured or in poor health. | |
| To receive respectful treatment regardless of your immigration status. | |
| To be transported safely. | |
| To have water and food when you need it. | |
| You are not obligated to disclose your immigration status when you are detained. | |
| Your Rights To not be hit or insulted. | |
| To not be held incommunicado. | |
| In case they take away your personal effects, request a voucher in order to claim them when you are released. | |
| If there is any violation of these rights, it's important for you to inform your attorney or Mexican consulate representative that visits you or even the nearest delegation of the Secretariat of Foreign Relations within Mexico. | |
| If you wish more information and you live in Texas or in Siswaite Acua, Cohila, tune in to the powerful station at AM 1570. | |
| If you are arrested or detained. | |
| If you have already been sentenced for some crime or you are in jail facing criminal prosecution, you have the following rights. | |
| To not be discriminated against by the police, the courts, or prison authorities. | |
| To receive visits from consular officials and family members. | |
| To receive appropriate legal counsel without conditions or obstructions. | |
| If you are being criminally prosecuted and have not yet been sentenced, ask your attorney or consular representative what the plea agreement consists of. | |
| Do not plead guilty without first consulting your attorney about the possibilities of winning your case if you go to trial. | |
| It's important that you know the laws of the American state where you live and work, since each state's laws are different. | |
| Bear in mind the following information. | |
| If you drink, don't drive, since if you do not have papers, you can be detained and deported. | |
| If a legal resident is cited more than two times for drunk driving, he can be deported. | |
| Do not drive without a driver's license. | |
| Observe traffic signals and signs and use your seat belt. | |
| Do not drive without auto insurance nor drive an unknown vehicle. | |
| Things to avoid Do not pick up strangers. | |
| If you commit some traffic violation and are detained by the police, place your hands on the steering wheel and do not get out of the car until the officer requests you to do so. | |
| Avoid calling attention to yourself, at least while you are arranging your residence papers to live in the United States. | |
| The best formula is not to alter your routine of going between work and home. | |
| Avoid noisy parties, because the neighbors can get upset and call the police, and you could be arrested. | |
| Avoid fighting. | |
| If you go to a bar or nightclub and a fight starts, leave immediately, since in the confusion you could be arrested, even if you did not do anything wrong. | |
| Avoid family or domestic violence, as in Mexico, it is a crime in the United States. | |
| Domestic violence does not consist solely of hitting others but can also be threats, shouting or mistreatment. | |
| If you are accused of domestic violence against your children, your mate or someone else who lives with you, you could go to jail. | |
| In addition, Child Protective Service authorities could take away your children. | |
| Do not carry firearms, bladed weapons or other dangerous objects. | |
| Keep in mind that many Mexicans have died or are in prison because of these things. | |
| If the police enter your house or apartment, do not resist, but ask to see a search warrant. | |
| It is better to cooperate with them and ask to speak to the nearest Mexican consulate. | |
| Consulates. | |
| The Secretariat of Foreign Relations has 45 consular representatives within the U.S. and on its southern border, which are designed to help you. | |
| Remember, if you have been detained or are serving a sentence, you have the right to speak with the nearest Mexican consulate. | |
| Always carry your Guide to Consular Protection with you at all times. | |
| Get near to the consulate. | |
| Embrace Mexico. | |
| It's your home, fellow countryman. | |
| This Consular Protection Guide is not promoting the crossing of the border of Mexicans without legal documentation required by the government of the United States. | |
| Its objective is to make known the risks implied and to inform about the rights of migrants regardless of their legal residence. |
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