Cultura y noticias hispanas del Valle del Hudson
At the end of last year I shared here that I had the opportunity to attend an event where the two Consuls Generals in New York representing Mexico and Guatemala were introduced. On that occasion, I took the opportunity to invite both of them to be frequent guests on my program La Voz with Mariel Fiori on Radio Kingston in Spanish. I also thank both consuls here for keeping their promise and for continuing to inform their fellow nationals in every possible way.
A frequent question is what type of support each consulate provides in case of detention or deportation of a Mexican or Guatemalan person. Here I share their responses.
“The assistance and protection of Guatemalans,” explained Víctor Ramírez, Consul General of Guatemala in New York, is for people who find themselves in “a difficult situation, in homelessness, who want to return to Guatemala, or families who lose a loved one who passes away here in the United States, or with this climate of changes in U.S. immigration policy, there are also processes in which Guatemalans are detained and are in a process of return to Guatemala. We accompany them in detention centers, we are the connection between them and their families outside. On some occasions, there are even families who are unable to complete the birth registration of children born here in the United States, and we have taken those documents to detention centers so that either the father or mother can sign and that birth registration can be carried out. In hospitals we also make that consular visit. On some occasions we have accompanied their return, and unfortunately we have also had family separations where both parents are detained and returned to Guatemala and the children remain in the United States. So, we carry out a reunification process so that they can return to Guatemala.”
“We have very good meetings with ICE, with CBP, with all federal authorities,” indicated Marcos Bucio Mújica, Consul General of Mexico in New York, “what we see with them are agreements that we achieve as Mexican authorities.” For example, “there should be no intervention by ICE in public schools, in churches, and in community civic events. Anything that happens in that sense that goes against the agreements, the community should notify us.” Regarding detentions, “they notify us immediately, whether it is Saturday, Sunday, any time, and we send our lawyers. If they are in the process of a naturalization hearing, they should not be deported. Due process is respected, and they have told us that they are specifically focusing on people who have a detention order for some type of crime, which can even be something like a traffic offense.” For this reason, the consul asked the immigrant community to be mindful of their actions: “they have to behave very well, they cannot drive under the influence, they must have their vehicles in order, all those simple things can become very complicated if they commit an infraction. They cannot leave the country, and if they have not regularized their entry, if they entered in an undocumented way, they must be careful. Because most of our community has been rooted here for more than 20 or 25 years, they have had their businesses, they have been successful, they even help us in community centers, but due to historical circumstances they entered undocumented. They must protect themselves, and to the extent that they can comply with a naturalization process, we gladly help them with all the guidance through the protection phone lines we have. We pay for lawyers in detention processes, in some criminal circumstance, for someone injured in an accident, and we also advise them through the entire naturalization process.”
The emergency line (917) 459-2143 for Mexicans in New York operates 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. The Mexican consulate also visits detention centers in Orange County, Buffalo, and Manhattan, and provides legal support and assistance to connect with family members in Mexico. For return, in case of deportation, they have established the program Mexico Embraces You, promoted by President Sheinbaum, which includes social services, job offers, and incorporation into welfare programs.
The Consulate of Guatemala in New York serves three states, including New Jersey and Connecticut, and estimates that around 350,000 Guatemalans live in the tri-state area. Since July 2025 they do not have an appointment system, meaning it is not necessary to make an appointment, people can simply arrive at the consulate and will be attended to in order of arrival. In Manhattan they also open on the first Saturday of each month. There will be a Guatemalan mobile consulate in Albany on May 15 and 16. The emergency line is (212) 686-3837.
Mariel Fiori
Director back to top
COPYRIGHT 2026
La Voz, Cultura y noticias hispanas del Valle de Hudson
A frequent question is what type of support each consulate provides in case of detention or deportation of a Mexican or Guatemalan person. Here I share their responses.
“The assistance and protection of Guatemalans,” explained Víctor Ramírez, Consul General of Guatemala in New York, is for people who find themselves in “a difficult situation, in homelessness, who want to return to Guatemala, or families who lose a loved one who passes away here in the United States, or with this climate of changes in U.S. immigration policy, there are also processes in which Guatemalans are detained and are in a process of return to Guatemala. We accompany them in detention centers, we are the connection between them and their families outside. On some occasions, there are even families who are unable to complete the birth registration of children born here in the United States, and we have taken those documents to detention centers so that either the father or mother can sign and that birth registration can be carried out. In hospitals we also make that consular visit. On some occasions we have accompanied their return, and unfortunately we have also had family separations where both parents are detained and returned to Guatemala and the children remain in the United States. So, we carry out a reunification process so that they can return to Guatemala.”
“We have very good meetings with ICE, with CBP, with all federal authorities,” indicated Marcos Bucio Mújica, Consul General of Mexico in New York, “what we see with them are agreements that we achieve as Mexican authorities.” For example, “there should be no intervention by ICE in public schools, in churches, and in community civic events. Anything that happens in that sense that goes against the agreements, the community should notify us.” Regarding detentions, “they notify us immediately, whether it is Saturday, Sunday, any time, and we send our lawyers. If they are in the process of a naturalization hearing, they should not be deported. Due process is respected, and they have told us that they are specifically focusing on people who have a detention order for some type of crime, which can even be something like a traffic offense.” For this reason, the consul asked the immigrant community to be mindful of their actions: “they have to behave very well, they cannot drive under the influence, they must have their vehicles in order, all those simple things can become very complicated if they commit an infraction. They cannot leave the country, and if they have not regularized their entry, if they entered in an undocumented way, they must be careful. Because most of our community has been rooted here for more than 20 or 25 years, they have had their businesses, they have been successful, they even help us in community centers, but due to historical circumstances they entered undocumented. They must protect themselves, and to the extent that they can comply with a naturalization process, we gladly help them with all the guidance through the protection phone lines we have. We pay for lawyers in detention processes, in some criminal circumstance, for someone injured in an accident, and we also advise them through the entire naturalization process.”
The emergency line (917) 459-2143 for Mexicans in New York operates 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. The Mexican consulate also visits detention centers in Orange County, Buffalo, and Manhattan, and provides legal support and assistance to connect with family members in Mexico. For return, in case of deportation, they have established the program Mexico Embraces You, promoted by President Sheinbaum, which includes social services, job offers, and incorporation into welfare programs.
The Consulate of Guatemala in New York serves three states, including New Jersey and Connecticut, and estimates that around 350,000 Guatemalans live in the tri-state area. Since July 2025 they do not have an appointment system, meaning it is not necessary to make an appointment, people can simply arrive at the consulate and will be attended to in order of arrival. In Manhattan they also open on the first Saturday of each month. There will be a Guatemalan mobile consulate in Albany on May 15 and 16. The emergency line is (212) 686-3837.
Mariel Fiori
Director back to top
COPYRIGHT 2026
La Voz, Cultura y noticias hispanas del Valle de Hudson
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