In December 2004, the Mexican government distributed 1.5 million copies of a pamphlet titled “Guide for the Mexican Migrant,” unabashedly advising its citizens on ways to illegally migrate to the United States, one of its closest allies. The literature went as far as recommending what type of clothes to wear when crossing a river, and explaining how to stay hydrated when crossing a desert.


Now, Mexico’s ministry of foreign affairs has published “Recommendations in Case of Immigration Detention,” an infographic video advising illegal immigrants in the United States on ways to avoid deportation when approached by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.

According to the Center for Immigration Studies, the video, which is in Spanish, is divided into two sections: “How to prepare in case of immigration and detention,” and “How to act in case of immigration detention.”

If ICE agents come to an illegal immigrant’s home, for example, the ministry advises against opening the door. And, whether questioned by ICE agents at home or at a detention facility, it tells its citizens to not reveal their immigration status.

Once in detention, the ministry advises its citizens to contact a Mexican consulate — specifically, a consulate’s Center for Information and Assistance to Mexicans, a 24-hour hotline designed to aid Mexican citizens living in the United States. Some Mexican consulates, such as the consulate in Nogales, Ariz., have created legal-aid centers to help “all Mexican migrants who require support in America,” the ministry said in a statement.



If only the Mexican government would dedicate more effort to deterring its citizenry from breaking the immigration laws of its closest allies.