Mexico tests cellphone app allowing migrants to send alert if they are about to be detained in US

Mexico is processing a cellphone app that volition let migrants to pass relatives and section consulates if they deliberation they are astir to beryllium detained by the U.S. migration department, a elder authoritative said Friday.

The determination is successful effect to President-elect Donald Trump's threats to transportation retired wide deportations aft helium takes bureau connected Jan. 20.

The app has been rolled retired for small-scale investigating and "appears to beryllium moving precise well," said Juan Ramón de la Fuente, Mexico's caput of overseas affairs.

He said the app would let users to property a tab that would nonstop an alert notification to antecedently chosen relatives and the nearest Mexican consulate. De la Fuente described it arsenic a benignant of panic button.

"In lawsuit you find yourself successful a concern wherever detention is imminent, you propulsion the alert button, and that sends a awesome to the nearest consulate," helium said.

U.S. authorities are obliged to springiness announcement to home-country consulates erstwhile a overseas national is detained. Mexico says it has beefed up consular unit and ineligible assistance to assistance migrants successful the ineligible process related to deportation.

De la Fuente expects the app to beryllium rolled retired successful January. He didn't accidental whether the app has a de-activation tab that would let idiosyncratic to rescind an alert if they weren't truly detained.

The authorities says it has besides acceptable up a telephone halfway staffed 24 hours a time to reply migrants' questions.

The Mexican authorities estimates determination are 11.5 cardinal migrants with immoderate signifier of ineligible residency successful the United States, and 4.8 cardinal without ineligible residency oregon due documents.