</s>A Mexican who was recently deported from the U.S. walks by the Tijuana river, in Tijuana, Mexico, February 22, 2017. REUTERS/Edgard Garrido

Mexico opened legal aid centers at its 50 consulates across the United States on Saturday to defend its citizens, the Mexican government said, amid worries of a crackdown on illegal immigration under U.S. President Donald Trump.

Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray exhorted the U.S. government to respect the rights of Mexicans and called for the United States to allow a path to legality for undocumented migrants.

“We are not promoting illegality,” Videgaray said, according to a video of an event at the Mexican consulate in New York provided by the foreign ministry, saying that Mexico supported following the law, but that means respecting human rights.

Trump has issued orders to initiate tougher deportation procedures during his first month in office, following up on campaign vows to fight illegal immigration and to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border.

“Today we are facing a situation that can paradoxically represent an opportunity, when suddenly a government wants to apply the law more severely,” Videgaray said.

“It is becoming more than evident that to apply the law, which is the obligation of any state, would also imply a real economic damage to this country which highlights the need for immigration reform, an immigration reform that resolves once and for all the legal status of the people,” Videgaray said.

The Pew Research Center estimates there are nearly 6 million undocumented Mexicans living in the United States.

Late last month, Videgaray expressed “worry and irritation” about Trump’s new policies to U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Homeland Security chief John Kelly when they visited Mexico for talks on immigration and security.</s>Mexico on Saturday opened legal defense centers at its consulates in all 50 U.S. states in response to President Trump's hardline immigration policy.

"We are not promoting illegality," said Mexican Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray. "Today we are facing a situation that can paradoxically represent an opportunity, when suddenly a government wants to apply the law more severely," he added. "It is becoming more than evident that to apply the law, which is the obligation of any state, would also imply a real economic damage to this country which highlights the need for immigration reform." Videgaray urged the United States to devise a path to legal status for undocumented immigrants.

At the Mexican Consulate in Salt Lake City, Utah, on Wednesday, nearly 500 people — 10 times the expected attendance — came to a seminar with immigration lawyers explaining their legal rights. In 20 years of practice, "we have never seen this type of force, so excessive that it seeks to find a way to deport immigrants in the U.S., and even legal immigrants, people with residency," said immigration attorney Barbara Melendez, who spoke at the event. The lawyers advised immigrants to know their rights, be honest with authorities, and never resist arrest. Bonnie Kristian</s>Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray calls on US to respect rights of Mexicans and urges path to citizenship for migrants.

Mexico has opened legal aid centres at its 50 consulates across the United States to defend its citizens amid worries of a crackdown on undocumented immigrants.

The centres will provide free legal assistance to Mexican citizens who feel that their rights in the US are being threatened.

On Saturday, Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray called on the US government to respect the rights of Mexicans, and urged the US to allow a path to legality for those without documents.

"We are not promoting illegality," Videgaray said in a video of an event at the Mexican consulate in New York provided by the foreign ministry.

He said Mexico's government wants its citizens in the US to follow the law but it also advocates the respect of human rights.

"Today we are facing a situation that can paradoxically represent an opportunity, when suddenly a government wants to apply the law more severely," Videgaray said.

"It is becoming more than evident that to apply the law, which is the obligation of any state, it would also imply a real economic damage to this country which highlights the need for an immigration reform that resolves once and for all the legal status of the people," Videgaray said.

Mexico is worried about the impact that guidelines issued last month by President Donald Trump will have on the lives of its citizens.

During his first month in office, Trump issued orders to initiate tougher deportation procedures, following up on campaign to build a wall on the US-Mexico border, and crackdown on illegal migration.

The Pew Research Center estimates there are nearly six million undocumented Mexicans are living in the US.

In lateFebruary, Videgaray expressed "worry and irritation" about Trump's new policies to US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Homeland Security chief John Kelly when they visited Mexico for talks on immigration and security.

Diplomatic relations between the neighbouring countries have deteriorated after Trump declared his plan to build the wall, the construction of which, he said, will be paid by Mexico.

The remarks prompted President Enrique Pena Nieto to cancel a visit to Washington on January 31 and to announce extra funding to protect the rights of Mexican citizens in the US.</s>Instead of paying for Donald Trump's notorious border wall, Mexican President has chosen to allocate some $50 million to his country's consulates across the United States to boost legal aid and protection of Mexican citizens who might be facing deportation.Tensions between the two countries amid concerns of a looming crackdown on illegal immigration under President Trump's administration has prompted Mexican officials to take legal steps to protect citizens "against an eventual deportation.""What changes today is that we are prioritizing legal matters over everything. Previously, we didn't have the need to seek so much legal support for our people," Mexican Consul General in Miami, Jose Antonio Zabalgoitia said Friday.Mexico's President Enrique Peña Nieto allocated some $50 million to 50 Mexican consulates in the US to provide better legal support. The initiative is not aimed at "promoting illegality," but rather "a moral imperative," Mexican FM Luis Videgaray said as he visited the country's New York City consulate."Today we are facing a situation that can paradoxically represent an opportunity, when suddenly a government wants to apply the law more severely," Reuters quoted Videgaray as saying.Videgaray urged the US toUS President Donald Trump has issued orders to impose strict deportation procedures during his first month in office. Such policies, alongside the border wall project, are aimed to a great extent against Mexico, as someaccording to estimates from the Pew Research Center.The Mexican President, however, has consistently dismissed any such notion.The 2,000-mile border wall could be built within the next two years, according to US Department of Homeland Security estimates. A site accepting federal contractor applications from companies interested in constructing the wall will be launched by the US Customs and Border Protection on March 6.
Mexico opens legal aide centers in its 50 U.S. consulates to defend its citizens' rights amid the United States "crackdown" on illegal immigration. In a video, Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray Caso said Mexico supports following the law but notes that current circumstances highlight the need for immigration reform.