U.S. Department of State 2001 Trafficking in Persons Report - Mexico
| Publisher | United States Department of State |
| Author | Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons |
| Publication Date | 12 July 2001 |
| Cite as | United States Department of State, U.S. Department of State 2001 Trafficking in Persons Report - Mexico, 12 July 2001, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/4680d775c.html [accessed 6 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Mexico (Tier 2)
Mexico is a source country for trafficked persons to the United States, Canada, and Japan, and a transit country for persons from various countries, especially Central America and China. There are an increasing number of persons from Brazil and Eastern Europe transiting through Mexico, some of whom are trafficked Salvadorans and Guatemalans, especially children, are trafficked into Mexico for prostitution, particularly on the southern border. Internal trafficking is also a problem.
The Government of Mexico does not yet fully meet the minimum standards; however, the Government is making significant efforts to combat trafficking despite resource constraints and corruption, especially at the lower levels of government. There are no specific laws that prohibit the trafficking of persons, but there are other relevant laws that may be used to prosecute traffickers. The Government devotes law enforcement and social development resources to prevent illegal transit of persons for any purpose. The Government actively investigates and prosecutes cases of trafficking and smuggling. At the time of this report there were no statistics available on conviction and sentencing rates of traffickers. The Government is implementing anti-corruption measures as part of its larger effort to restructure Mexico's law enforcement institutions. The Government supports general prevention campaigns for children and women, and administers assistance programs for children repatriated to Mexico. The legal framework exists to protect victims of trafficking, and provide social services to these victims. However, in practice persons illegally in Mexico usually are deported.
