April 29, 2015
Mexico’s Recent Immigration Enforcement Efforts
Background

Figure 1. “Northern Triangle” Minors Removed by
Mexico in 2014
In 2014 the United States and Mexico experienced an
unprecedented surge in undocumented migration of
unaccompanied children and family units from Central
America. In response, Mexico greatly increased its
immigration enforcement efforts, particularly along its
southern border. In 2014, Mexico’s Ministry of the Interior
(SEGOB) reported that it removed 104,269 migrants who
came from the “northern triangle” (El Salvador, Honduras,
and Guatemala) of Central America. Roughly 17,900 of
those migrants were minors, 8,236 of whom were
unaccompanied. Mexico’s increased enforcement has
contributed to fewer apprehensions of illegal immigrants at
the U.S.-Mexico border. During the first half of FY2015,
U.S. apprehensions of unaccompanied minors at the border

Source: Mexico’s Ministry of the Interior (SEGOB)
were 45% lower, and total apprehensions of family units
were 30% lower than the same period in 2014.
Under this plan, Mexico’s National Institute of Migration
(INAMI) agents have taken on a new enforcement
directive. These unarmed agents have worked with the
SEGOB reports that from January to late April 2015,
military and the police to increase immigration enforcement
Mexico detained 59,650 migrants, a 77% increase from
efforts along known migrant routes. In 2014, INAMI
the same period of 2014. Of those, 8,710 were
reportedly conducted more than 150 raids on northbound
minors, a 54% increase from 2014.
trains that previously transported 500-700 migrants through
Mexico three times a week. Those efforts have pushed
In January 2015, President Obama praised Mexican
migrants to take new routes, particularly along the
President Enrique Peña Nieto for his government’s
highways. INAMI has invested in security at existing
increased immigration enforcement efforts. Some have
border crossings and the establishment of more than 140
argued that the U.S. government has pressured the Mexican
mobile highway checkpoints. It has also significantly
government to stave the flow of U.S.-bound illegal
increased the number of cases it has referred to prosecutors
migration from Central America. Others have maintained
for crimes against migrants (including alien smuggling).
that Mexico has been adequately compensated for its efforts
The creation of a database of biometrics and migration data
through the Mérida Initiative, which provided $79 million
is an additional long-term goal of the plan.
in U.S. assistance above the Administration’s request for
FY2015, partially to support Mexico’s southern border
Figure 2. Foreign Nationals Taken into Custody by
efforts. Human rights groups have voiced concerns
Mexican Immigration Officials
regarding Mexico’s management of these complex migrant
flows and have questioned its ability to protect migrants.
Mexico’s Southern Border Plan
On July 7, 2014, President Peña Nieto announced a new
Southern Border Plan. The plan increased security at 12
ports of entry with Guatemala and Belize and along known
migration routes in an attempt to (1) protect migrants and
(2) promote regional security and prosperity. It prioritizes:
• regular and ordered migration;
• infrastructure improvements;


protection of migrants;
Source: Mexico’s National Institute of Migration (INM)
• regional shared responsibilities; and
In addition to increasing enforcement, the plan aims to
• interagency coordination.
provide basic services to migrants, including medical care
offered at five clinics, and facilitate legal migration for
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Mexico’s Recent Immigration Enforcement Efforts
tourists and laborers from Guatemala and Belize. Citizens
With limited funds, COMAR lacks the manpower necessary
of these countries now have free and readily accessible
to inform and process all migrants. The lack of information
visas that allow regular reentry. Visa-processing locations
about their right to apply and the many months that
have been established in Guatemala and Belize; officials
migrants must spend in detention while awaiting the results
have also sought to register those already within Mexico
of their applications appear to have deterred many from
without documentation. Mexico aims to be better able to
applying. Of those who applied last year, Mexico’s Interior
identify illegal immigrants, while still allowing commerce
Ministry reports that COMAR granted asylum to just 12
and tourism in border states.
children. In recent years, COMAR’s approval rate has
averaged roughly 20%.
Human Rights Concerns
Mexico also offers those who require international
Human rights activists have voiced concerns regarding
protection the option to apply for a humanitarian visa.
Mexico’s protection of migrants’ human rights. The
Humanitarian visas allow a migrant to stay in Mexico for
increase in checkpoints and the crackdown on migrants
only a year. The number of migrants provided humanitarian
traveling on the top of northbound trains has pushed many
visas has also remained low at only 332 in 2014, according
migrants to find even more treacherous routes. Some have
to an April 2015 study by Georgetown Law School’s
stated that these routes may leave migrants more vulnerable
Human Rights Institute. The study maintained that the
to criminal organizations and human traffickers, with less
application process for humanitarian visas, as with the
access to aid workers and shelters.
asylum process, is generally long and difficult.
Many have voiced concerns that the Southern Border Plan
Issues for Congress
does little to address the issue of corruption among both
police and government officials. The State Department’s
Congress has increasingly viewed Mexico’s southern
2014 Trafficking in Persons report documents that migrants
border as an integral part of U.S. border security and the
traveling through Mexico are particularly vulnerable to
Mérida Initiative. At the same time, Congress has
human rights abuses by both criminal organizations and
prioritized the protection of human rights in Mexico by
corrupt officials. INAMI has made efforts to improve
placing human rights-related conditions on Mérida
accountability and integrity within its organization: roughly
Initiative funding. Congress may consider how to help
one-third of its agents have been dismissed since mid-2014.
mitigate concerns about migrants’ rights in Mexico.
While this may indicate improvement within the
The State Department has provided Mexico with substantial
organization, the inability or reluctance to prosecute these
equipment and training assistance, including non-intrusive
agents has left them free to potentially prey on migrants.
inspection equipment and canine teams for ports of entry.
According to INAMI, the agency has more than 400 child
This aid has been provided through pillar 3 of the Mérida
protection officers to handle unaccompanied children;
Initiative, Creating a 21st Century Border. The Department
however, they are stretched thin across Mexico’s 32 states.
of Defense has provided training and equipment to Mexican
Mexico’s Asylum and Humanitarian Visa
military forces patrolling the southern border. Congress
Programs
may consider these questions regarding Mexico’s role in
helping to manage illegal migration from Central America.
Humanitarian organizations have also raised concerns about
• To what extent are Mexico’s migration enforcement
Mexico’s capacity to screen migration flows from Central
efforts being conducted in a way that respects due
America for migrants who may have been victims of human
process and human rights?
trafficking or have valid claims to asylum due to conditions
in their home countries. Recent U.N. High Commissioner
• How could the U.S. government better support Mexico’s
for Refugees (UNHCR) studies have found that at least half
recent enforcement efforts?
of all children fleeing the northern triangle may have
• How might U.S. assistance help Mexico increase
international protection needs.
prosecutions of crimes such as alien smuggling?
Mexico has historically welcomed refugees (those who are
• Could a portion of Mérida Initiative aid be used to
unwilling or unable to return to their home country due to a
strengthen INAMI’s ability to conduct humanitarian
well-founded fear of persecution on account of race,
screening to identify vulnerable migrants?
religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a
particular social group). Mexican law states that all
• Could aid be provided to COMAR to help inform
migrants must be informed of their right to apply for
migrants of their rights and assist them in requesting
international protection. Nonetheless, human rights activists
international protection?
have claimed that only 1 out of 10 unaccompanied children
Ingrid Schulz, Research Associate, contributed to this
is informed of the right to request asylum. Asylum provides
product.
the migrant with the right to stay in Mexico permanently.
Despite an increase of 17% in asylum applications in 2014,
Clare Ribando Seelke, cseelke@crs.loc.gov, 7-5229
the Mexican Commission for the Aid of Refugees

(COMAR) received a budget increase of only 4% for 2015.
IF10215
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