Mexico launches lottery to support migrants in US
MEXICO CITY: Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Friday announced a lottery to raise money to support migrants caught up in US President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown. Nearly 12 million Mexicans live in the United States, where Trump has pursued a tough anti-immigration policy since his return to the White House in January. The lottery 'is dedicated to our migrant brothers and sisters,' said Sheinbaum, who has pledged all necessary consular assistance to Mexicans affected by Trump's crackdown. 'The money left after the prizes will be used to strengthen all our support for migrants in the United States through our consulates,' she said at her morning news conference.
Tickets for the lottery, with a prize pot of nearly 425 million pesos ($23 million), feature a heart surrounded by ears of corn and agave plants with the words 'Mexico with an M for migrant.' The draw will be held on September 15, when Mexico celebrates the start of the war of independence against Spain in 1810. On Wednesday, Sheinbaum said that nearly 75,000 Mexicans had decided to voluntarily come home from the United States since Trump began his second term in office. The Mexican leader has criticized US immigration raids to detain undocumented foreigners, especially in Los Angeles, which is home to a large Mexican community. — AFP
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