PRESENTATION BEFORE THE LIAISON OFFICER NETWORK FOR CONSULAR PROTECTION Regional Conference on Migration, RCM San José, June 25,

ADVANCES RNCOM recognizes the efforts of the Government of Guatemala to promote mobile consulates again after having suspended them temporarily due to lack of passports. We recognize the support provided by the Governments of Mexico and Central America for the repatriation of the bodies of deceased migrants. RNCOM supports the efforts implemented toward the establishment of consulates abroad, aimed at improving assistance for national citizens abroad. We congratulate the Government of Nicaragua for the establishment of consular records and delivery of a consular card in Spain. 2

RNCOM highlights the commitment of the Consulate of Nicaragua in Costa Rica to facilitate documents for the regularization period of persons in transit. The Supreme Court of Justice of Nicaragua has signed complementarity agreements with local governments and civil society organizations in some municipalities in order to increase the level of registration of births. In regard to the migration reform of the United States, RNCOM views the advances in expediting visa applications and granting work permits to eligible migrants and enabling them to regularize their migration status as positive actions. 3

CHALLENGES RNCOM is concerned about the fact that governments do not have the required institutional capacity to effectively address requests by their citizens abroad. This weakness is a result of lack of inter-institutional coordination between Ministries of Foreign Affairs, General Directorates of Migration and the Civil Registry, among others. Consular protection actions for national citizens abroad and migrants and their families need to be strengthened in order to comply with the human rights commitments that have been taken on by every State. RNCOM advocates resource allocation for consular systems to enable them to fulfil their obligations with the citizens of the countries they represent. 4

We have noticed that consular officers need to receive updated information regarding relevant legislation in the countries that have changed relevant legislation or adopted new laws relating to migrant populations. This will enable consular officers to better guide their fellow citizens abroad. RNCOM is concerned about the high costs in terms of fines and administrative fees that apply to regularization processes of migrant populations. This leads to patterns of exclusion and is in contradiction to the integration proposals. RNCOM insists on the need to advance toward adopting security protocols for the protection of consular officers in the region. 5

RNCOM is concerned about the fact that, in view of the potential migration reform by the United States, beneficiaries of a migration regularization programme would be excluded from every form of public assistance, including subsidies for health insurance. In addition, we are concerned about the elimination of the category of family visas for siblings of citizens. RNCOM respects the sovereignty of each country and its obligation to address national security; however, we reject the prospect of increasingly militarized borders and the construction of walls along the borders, which does not ensure the absence or collusion of organized crime at the borders. 6