LEGISLATURE
Baja California Assembly passes sweeping anti-discrimination bill protecting migrants
The Baja California Assembly unanimously approved landmark legislation Saturday that prohibits discrimination based on immigration status and guarantees full educational access for migrant children and teenagers.
The measure was passed with 20 votes in favor, none against, and no abstentions. It amends paragraphs 3 and 15 of Section A of Article 7 of the state’s Political Constitution.
The approved bill consolidates two separate initiatives proposed by state lawmakers Alejandrina Corral Quintero of the National Action Party (PAN) and Daylín García Ruvalcaba of the Citizens’ Movement (MC).
The first part of the reform, stemming from Assemblywoman Corral’s initiative, is designed to explicitly prohibit all forms of discrimination stemming from a person’s immigration condition or status.
In her statement, Assemblywoman Corral noted that Mexico, due to its shared border with the United States, is prone to receiving large numbers of migrants, with Baja California being one of the main receiving regions for these flows.
She emphasized the heightened vulnerability faced by migrants, particularly when interacting with authorities. Corral stressed that any action strengthening their protection is beneficial for complying with international treaties and defending human rights.
The second significant modification, championed by Assemblywoman García, aims to guarantee that migrant children and adolescents have full and nondiscriminatory access to education, regardless of their immigration situation.
Assemblywoman García stated that education is a fundamental human right that must be specially protected to ensure future generations have the tools to be competitive.
She highlighted that, as a highly transited border region, Baja California receives significant flows of migrants, including a large number of children and teenagers who are vulnerable to exclusion from the educational system because of their migratory status.
The legislation is a major step toward protecting the rights of the many thousands of migrants who pass through or settle in the northern border state.
STATE
Baja California’s ‘Soy México’ campaign grants dual citizenship to 25,000 residents
The state of Baja California has significantly expanded access to legal identity by granting dual Mexican nationality to 25,000 individuals through the “Soy México” (I am Mexico) campaign. Governor Marina del Pilar Avila Olmeda announced the national distinction, noting the program was carried out across Civil Registry offices in all seven municipalities of the state.
Governor Avila Olmeda highlighted the campaign—which was promoted by Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo—for bringing registration services closer to thousands of people and guaranteeing their right to identity.
The program demonstrated a substantial increase in services: 4,000 validations were processed in 2021, a figure that surged to 25,000 in 2025. This increase represents more than 21,000 additional procedures, demonstrating the action’s sustained growth and strength.
“Such numbers indicate that we are on the right path, generating well-being and fulfilling a crucial right to access others,” the governor stated. “These figures represent people, stories, and families that now have legal certainty.”
Geographically, the campaign served over 14,000 people in Tijuana, while nearly 3,000 procedures were completed in Mexicali. Thousands of people also received assistance in Tecate, Rosarito, Ensenada, San Quintín, and San Felipe.
Governor Avila Olmeda also mentioned that Baja California launched the “Registro Oportuno” (Timely Registration) program, specifically aimed at children and adolescents who had not yet obtained their birth certificates. This effort was realized through coordinated work among the Civil Registry, the General Secretariat of Government, and the Undersecretariat of Governmental and Legal Services, which provided focused follow-up on each procedure.
– Staff Report,