With the end of the CBP One app, many migrants and asylum seekers have found their hopes of entering the United States legally shattered. Despite upgrades, the app remains glitchy, leaving thousands of migrants stranded in Mexico. As a result, they are increasingly turning to Mexico’s asylum system as their Plan B.
Rachel Schmidtke, a senior advocate for Latin America at Refugees International, explained, “People who may not have originally considered Mexico as a destination country are now thinking, ‘Well, you know, I can apply for asylum here.’” In Mexico City, more than 3,000 people have camped at COMAR, the Mexican Refugee Agency, seeking asylum.
Daniel Mendez, who planned to seek asylum in the U.S. with his wife, has recalibrated his plans. The couple has been in Mexico for several months and found a room to stay in. “What we need is paperwork to make more money,” said Mendez, who has relatives in Cuba relying on financial support.
In January, asylum applications in Mexico more than tripled compared to the previous year’s monthly average. Hundreds of migrants from countries like Cuba, Venezuela, Haiti, and even Afghanistan have lined up outside Mexico’s refugee agency, hoping for a legal pathway.
Schmidtke highlighted several issues: “There are not many avenues for people to work legally in the country,” she said, adding that most migrants could secure visas to stay and work. According to the UN Migration Agency (IOM), Mexico faces a labor shortage of 5 million workers, and migrants could help fill these jobs. New visas could offer a solution for those seeking employment in Mexico.
Schmidtke noted that Mexico’s asylum system has been very generous, but funding remains limited. “The other challenge is that with aid freezes, it’s unclear how that will affect international organizations that the asylum system relies on, like the UN Refugee Agency,” she explained.
For Venezuelan migrants, Mexico offers a better chance than the struggles they faced in South America, where many fled to countries like Ecuador, Chile, or Colombia, only to encounter economic hardships, lack of legal status, and anti-immigrant policies.
While Mexico wasn’t the original dream for many migrants, it has become their only viable option for now, providing a glimmer of hope and a chance for a new beginning.
Source: Texas Public Radio
