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Reaction From Mexico After Second Mexican Killed in Two Weeks Near U.S. Border

Posted June 10, 2010 by Leslie Josephs
Categories: Federal Immigration Policy

The second Mexican to killed by U.S. border forces within two weeks has increased tensions between Mexico and the United States. The Mexican public, government officials, and international human rights organizations have condemned the use of excessive force by US border agents, one of whom killed a high school student in Ciudad Juarez on Monday.

Sergio Adrián Hernández, 15, was reportedly gunned down by a U.S. Border agent shooting across to Ciudad Juarez from El Paso. Some local reports citing the F.B.I. and witnesses said Mexican security forces pointed their guns at the Border Patrol to stop them from entering Mexico. It wasn’t immediately clear whether Mexico’s Federal Police or soldiers had pointed their guns at the Border Patrol.

The Mexican government strongly condemned the killing – the second public statement of its kind in two weeks. Migrant Anastasio Hernández was killed after he was Tasered by a Customs and Border agent late month along the Tijuana-San Diego border.

“Mexico …. rejects the disproportionate force by US immigration authorities against Mexican migrants,” said President Felipe Calderón in a statement.

Amnesty International echoed the sentiment.

“This shooting across the border appears to have been a grossly disproportionate response and flies in the face of international standards which compel police to use firearms only as a last resort, in response to an immediate, deadly threat that cannot be contained through lesser means,” said Susan Lee, Amnesty’s Americas Director.

Tags : anastacio hernandez, border, border security, felipe calderon, mexican immigrants, mexico, sergio adrian hernandez huereca

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