Mexicans have negative views of the Central American migrants who are traveling through their own country, a new survey showed.
According to the survey by The Washington Post and Mexico's Reforma newspaper, 55% of Mexican think their country should deport the migrants to their countries of origin, while 33% think the migrants should get temporary residency.
More than 60% say migrants are a burden on their country because they take jobs and benefits that should belong to Mexicans, the survey found.
The survey was conducted after an increase in immigration enforcement by Mexico following a June agreement with the Trump administration to stem the flow of illegal immigrants crossing in the United States. The administration's immigration policy, which forces many asylum seekers to wait in Mexico for their hearings, also has increased the pool of migrants in northern Mexico, the Post noted.
In other findings, the poll found:
- 51% of Mexicans support using the country's newly formed national guard to combat migration of undocumented immigrants in Mexico; just under half have heard about the June agreement, but among those who have, 59% favor it, while 34% are opposed.
- 78% of Mexicans say it is harder to migrate to the United States than five years ago.
- Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador holds a 70% job approval rating eight months after entering office, down from 78% in a Reforma poll in March.
- López Obrador gets relatively high marks for his treatment of migrants, with 44% saying he has done a good job on the issue and 27% rating him negatively.
- 77% of Mexicans have a bad opinion of Trump and more than 80% say he treats their country with disrespect.
- 39% of Mexicans believe migrants commit more crimes than Mexicans; 21% believe they commit fewer crimes, and 31% do not see any difference.
The poll's margin of error is plus or minus 5 percentage points.
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