Elias Landsmanas Teams Up With Anáhuac University to Better Understand Migration of Minors Traveling to USA
Elias Landsmanas is the director of Corportivo Kosmos, a major food industry supplier in Mexico. However, his mission goes far beyond that of the corporate world. His high-status position in Mexico gives him numerous resources to work with, and he wants to use those resources for the better.
It’s why he’s decided to partner with Anáhuac University to understand more about the patterns of migration for minors. From the initial reasons of coming to the U.S. to the lasting repercussions of their journey, this is a major issue that affects us all. By going deeper into such a complex story, he hopes to reveal some real solutions buried underneath the controversy.
A New Collaboration
Elias Landsmanas is focusing on the welfare of minors because they are especially vulnerable to the dangers of immigration. While many young people have plenty of street smarts, they don’t always have the life experience to make the kinds of decisions that they’re asked to make on a regular basis.
This new partnership aims to get a better handle on how people approach migrant minors, as well as propose some possible answers to the problems. What exactly do they need to be supported in life? How can they get the opportunities that they so desperately crave?
The project is headed by Dr. Pablo Pérez Akaki at the university, and it will focus on how unaccompanied minors live, make choices, and solve problems. Only when we know the details can we begin to understand how to improve this obviously broken system.
Understanding the Issues at Hand
The Elias Landsmanas Dymensztejn-Anáhuac Research Chair is interested in how all lives are impacted by immigration policies. Their first endeavor was to present a webinar called “Migration to the United States After COVID-19.” This presentation included Rafael Fernández from the University of California San Diego weighing in on the topic.
America has continued to throw up new obstacles for immigrants from a number of countries, and the process has only gotten worse with the threat of a pandemic hanging in the air. There are reports of officials using the hazards of illness as a way to keep information away from migrants who are already in America. It’s also become a convenient way to shut down new immigration efforts before they even begin.
As it stands, there’s never been a better time for additional insight into the lives of migrants. In the news, the issue is often discussed with very little understanding of the actual issues. Politicians might reduce it to a single factor, whether they’re for harsher penalties or more open borders.
The realities of immigration can also be misunderstood by those in foreign countries. Some people might believe that it’s easy to cross over, with a new life waiting for them on the other side. Some people might have an idea of the risks, but quickly determine that the rewards are well worth taking on the potential dangers.
It’s difficult to account for people’s perceptions, especially when you consider that many migrants feel they don’t really have a choice. Whatever they’re leaving can’t possibly be worse than whatever’s ahead of them.
Why do unaccompanied children come to the U.S.? What do they expect when they arrive? How will they lead their lives once they have the chance to? These answers depend on a number of factors, including age, financial circumstances, and legal concerns. To stand any chance of protecting minors, we need to know them.
The Risks
More than 43,000 minors come to Mexico alone from countries like El Salvador and Honduras. The research chair that’s been established with the help of Corporativo Kosmos knows far too well the risks that minors face. Due to their age and lack of resources, they try to enter illegally.
There are several transit points into the U.S., many staffed with guides who are there to help people move through the desert and bypass the immigration officials and guards who patrol the standard borders.
To cross the desert, a person needs immense physical strength and mental stamina. They might have to go without water for several days. They might lose their possessions if they run across a group of criminals. And unfortunately, it’s not uncommon for people to perish during these exhausting trips.
Children especially face some of the worst possible dangers at the hands of dangerous people. They face higher odds of being raped or being kidnapped for the sale of their organs. Yet despite all of these potential travesties, immigration has only become more popular amongst unaccompanied minors.
It’s why centers have sprung up in Mexico to offer minors food, shelter, and medical support. Philanthropists have taken it upon themselves to serve as a light in the dark for those who need it the most. If they can intervene at the right time, they can potentially change the entire course of a child’s life. The research from this collaboration might inspire anything from more funding to a more effective way to help minors opt for a safer path.
The Hope of Tomorrow
When people come over to the U.S., they’re often in pursuit of a distinctly American dream, one that’s likely been built up to the point of fantasy. The situation that people actually encounter can be difficult to navigate at best and life-threatening at worst.
Their story, which is often one of tremendous bravery, is crucial if we want to make it better for them. The foundation wants to examine these details in relation to the many adults in the minor’s life. This is not a matter of providing a meal or two to a minor and then sending them on their way.
The larger goal is to contribute to a better country for all Mexican people. Businessmen and foundation leaders take responsibility for the state of their country. They take active roles in what happens there. It takes real vision and commitment to bring about such a change, one that all nations should take note of.
The Story of Elias Landsmanas
To understand why this is such an important topic for Landsmanas, it helps to understand his personal story. Elias Landsmanas came to Mexico in the late 1950s with his parents. Unlike many immigrant children today, he was able to look to his parents as role models who wanted to make their mark in their new country.
His father, Pablo Landsmanas, founded Corporativo Kosmos, a corporation that prides itself on quality and versatility. Like so many entrepreneurs that came before and after Pablo, his success was built on finding ways to adapt to new markets and outpace competitors.
But the Landsmanas family was also interested in giving back to the community as much as they received from it. The legacy they wanted to build started with giving food to needy individuals and families, such as those who were sick, poor, or otherwise incapacitated.
It’s why the Pablo Landmanas Foundation was officially born. Named for the man who began it all, the mission of the foundation was to promote a number of philanthropic endeavors. From education to environmental responsibility, the organization has taken an active role to keep vulnerable populations well cared for.
Lasting Effects
The foundation understands the larger benefits of minor migration. If they can get the situation under control, their research might spark real policy change in other regions. Other populations facing similar situations may be able to adapt some of the lessons to serve different groups.
Corportivo Kosmos has thrived because its leaders have always seen the bigger picture. Pablo Landsmanas always saw the opportunities to branch out and do more in his work. Rather than letting the barriers stand in his way, he pushed forward to offer new services and expand his vision. Eight thousand people in the country have jobs because of him.
These same values are carried into the charitable work that the company takes on too. More than 450,000 meals per month are handed out to those who need them most. Scholarships are doled out to the children of the employees of the corporation. This latest project is just one of many that are all designed to improve people’s lives and give them more options to pursue their dreams.
The problems that lie behind immigration can’t be solved overnight, but they can be solved with enough attention. Anáhuac University has a serious job to do, but they have the right kind of support behind them. Elias Landsmanas is passionate about keeping minors as safe as possible and helping them move from one phase of their life to the next. Once he’s helped to establish the right foundation, his country can start putting the building blocks into place. Ultimately, the whole world might see more success stories and fewer failures as a result.