Mexico is still preparing for the potential arrival of thousands of deported illegal immigrants from Arizona, even though a federal judge Wednesday blocked parts of the state's controversial SB1070 immigration law that takes effect at midnight on Thursday.
The last-minute ruling puts on hold the provision of the law that requires Arizona police officers to check a person's immigration status and forces immigrants to carry their documents at all times. The ruling by U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton also prohibits officers from detaining illegal immigrants without a reasonable cause.
The Sonora state government and the regional office of the Mexican Immigration Institute (INM) had equipped 25 shelters in border towns to attend to citizens deported as a result of the new law.
According to INM Sonora Delegate Alejandro Salas, 215,000 people were deported last year from Arizona, and this year's total is running at 91,000. He said authorities are prepared to receive double that number.
The federal government has set up a fund of ten million pesos to assist deported Mexicans return to their home towns and cities.
Additional staff have been assigned to the five Mexican consulates in Arizona.
"The Foreign Office is prepared to to take every means to protect the rights of Mexicans in Arizona regardless of their immigration status," said a statement from Mexico's Secretaria de Relaciones Exteriores (SRE).
The Mexican government has made several strong protests over the new law, which it says promotes racial profiling and infringes basic human rights.
Arizona's Republican governor, Jan Brewer, signed the bill, which has the support of the majority of Arizonans, many of whom are upset at the federal government dragging its heels over immigration reform.
According to some news reports, scores of illegal immigrant families across Arizona have been packing up and moving to other U.S. states or Mexico in anticipation of the law.
There have also been many reports of Arizona businesses catering to Mexicans shutting their doors in recent weeks as their owners and clients leave, as well as dozens of yard sales taking place.
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