link to page 1 
Updated January 3, 2019
Mexico’s Immigration Control Efforts
Background
to detain migrants, with some assistance from the federal
Since 2014, Mexico has helped the United States manage a
police. These unarmed agents have worked to increase
surge in unauthorized migration from the “Northern
immigration control along known migrant routes, including
Triangle” of Central America (El Salvador, Guatemala, and
on northbound trains and at bus stations. INM has improved
Honduras). Collectively, those countries have overtaken
the infrastructure at border crossings and created numerous
Mexico as the primary source for migrants apprehended at
mobile highway checkpoints. It also has increased the
the U.S.-Mexico border. From 2015 to November 2018,
number of cases it refers to prosecutors for crimes against
Mexico reported apprehending almost 524,000 migrants
migrants. With U.S. support (discussed below), INM is
and asylum seekers from the Northern Triangle. As U.S.
seeking to professionalize its workforce and to improve
asylum policies have tightened, Mexico also has absorbed
coordination and communication with the federal police,
more Central Americans in need of humanitarian protection
navy, army, and customs agencies.
(see Figure 1). President Andrés Manuel López Obrador
has thus far been willing to shelter some U.S.-bound
In addition to increasing law enforcement, Mexico provides
Central American migrants, but he urged the U.S.
basic services for migrants, including medical care, and
government to invest in southern Mexico and Central
facilitates legal migration for tourists and laborers from
America to prevent future unauthorized migration.
Guatemala and Belize. Officials also have sought to register
those already in Mexico without documentation.
Figure 1. Mexico: Reported Apprehensions from
Northern Triangle Countries and Asylum
Human Rights Concerns
Applications
The State Department’s 2018 Trafficking in Persons report
documents that migrants traveling through Mexico are
vulnerable to human rights abuses and human trafficking.
According to human rights activists, the increase in
checkpoints and raids on northbound trains pushed many
migrants to take more dangerous routes and rely on
smugglers. Recently, some migrants have joined in groups
or “caravans” to make the journey together as a way to
share resources, avoid the cost of smugglers, and gain
protection by the safety offered in numbers.
Many human rights groups have expressed concerns that
Mexico has yet to address corruption among police and
migration officials. Mexico has made some efforts to
improve accountability and integrity among immigration
Source: Created by CRS with information from Mexico’s Secretary
enforcement personnel by dismissing corrupt INM agents,
of the Interior.
yet internal controls over the INM and security forces
remain weak. In 2015, Mexico established a federal special
Mexico has received U.S. assistance for its immigration
prosecutor to investigate crimes involving migrants; some
control efforts through the Mérida Initiative, a bilateral
states also have prosecutors for crimes against migrants.
partnership for which Congress has appropriated nearly
Serious challenges remain, however. A fraction of crimes
$2.9 billion since FY2008. Mexico has received support for
against migrants have been prosecuted effectively.
its humanitarian protection efforts through global U.S.
Migration and Refugee Assistance (MRA) implemented by
Humanitarian Protection
the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and
Studies by UNHCR and others have found that half of all
others. Some U.S. policymakers have praised Mexico’s
children and a sizable proportion of women fleeing the
management of these migration flows, whereas others have
Northern Triangle may need international protection.
questioned Mexico’s ability to protect migrants from abuse
and to provide asylum to those in need of protection.
Mexico has a broader definition of refugee than the United
Immigration Control
States. Mexico’s 2011 refugee law recognizes a right to
asylum based on “generalized violence; foreign aggression;
Since 2014, Mexico has established 12 naval bases on the
internal conflicts; massive violations of human rights; and
country’s rivers, three security cordons stretching more than
other circumstances leading to a serious disturbance of
100 miles north of the Mexico-Guatemala and Mexico-
public order.” Migrants’ rights activists have claimed that
Belize borders, and a drone surveillance program. Mexico
INM agents have informed few migrants of the right to
does not have a border police; instead, its National Institute
of Migration (INM) is the only agency with legal authority
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Mexico’s Immigration Control Efforts
request asylum, which is required by law and would enable
economic development in Mexico and the Northern
them to stay in Mexico permanently.
Triangle. The U.S. government said it would “actively
support the goal of leveraging public and private
Despite UNHCR support, Mexico’s Commission for the
investment,” including $4.8 billion in potential U.S.
Aid of Refugees (COMAR) has had insufficient capacity to
investments in infrastructure projects in southern Mexico.
process asylum claims. COMAR granted refugee status to
The governments had been negotiating an agreement that
1,426 individuals from Northern Triangle countries in 2017,
would have required U.S.-bound asylum seekers who could
up from 880 in 2015. The agency processed 30% of the
not demonstrate that they faced imminent danger in Mexico
asylum applications it received, and 48% of approved
to remain there as their U.S. asylum claims were processed.
asylum claims were for Venezuelans. In cases where a
migrant has an asylum application in process or is a witness
On December 20, 2018, the U.S. Department of Homeland
to, or victim of, a crime in Mexico (as has happened with
Security (DHS) notified Mexico that it was implementing a
many Central American migrants), he or she can receive a
new policy under Section 235(b)(2)(C) of the Immigration
humanitarian visa. That visa is valid for one year, and the
and Nationality Act to return some non-Mexican asylum
migrant could face deportation once it expires.
seekers (excluding unaccompanied minors) to Mexico to
await their immigration court decisions. This policy is
The Mexican government has faced pressure from the
expected to face legal challenges. It remains unclear when
United States to help contain and disperse recent caravans
DHS will seek to put the new policy into effect.
of Central American migrants transiting the country;
humanitarian groups, by contrast, have urged it to assist the
Mexico issued a statement on the same day stating that,
migrants. In fall 2018, Mexican citizens, aid groups, and
although it has the right to admit or reject foreigners
local, state, and federal entities provided migrants with
arriving in its territory, it would provide humanitarian visas
food, shelter, and emergency aid. As of early December
and work permits to non-Mexicans awaiting U.S.
2018, UNHCR reported that 3,300 members of migrant
immigration proceedings. Concerns over the costs to local
caravans had applied for asylum in Mexico. At the same
governments of sheltering migrants, and the safety of
time, more than 3,000 people had accepted voluntary
migrants, could make this policy difficult to maintain.
repatriation to their countries of origin. With U.S. ports of
Mexico also stated that although it would offer individuals
entry limiting the number of migrants accepted each day for
the ability to apply for asylum in Mexico, it did not agree to
asylum screening, border cities may have to shelter
a “safe third country” agreement with the United States,
thousands of migrants for many months.
which could require migrants who transit Mexico to apply
for asylum there rather than in the United States.
Development to Prevent Migration
The Mexican government has long maintained that the best
Congressional Action
way to stop illegal immigration from Central America is to
The 116th Congress may grapple with how to respond to
address the insecurity and lack of opportunities there. It has
unauthorized migration from Central America, including
cohosted two conferences with the Trump Administration
funding and oversight of U.S. migration-related assistance
on boosting investment in Central America. In December
to Mexico. The Trump Administration’s FY2019 budget
2018, President López Obrador announced a plan to invest
request included $76.3 million for the Mérida Initiative but
some $25 billion in southern Mexico, including jobs for
did not request funding for migration management in
Central American migrants.
Mexico. Congress has yet to enact a full-year FY2019
appropriations measure, and a continuing resolution that
U.S. Foreign Assistance
funded foreign assistance programs at the FY2018 level
The State Department has allocated over $100 million in
expired on December 22, 2018.
Mérida Initiative funding to support Mexico’s immigration
control efforts, including through nonintrusive inspection
Legislation to fund foreign aid programs for the remainder
equipment, mobile kiosks, canine teams, vehicles, and
of FY2019 could incorporate provisions from the State,
training in immigration enforcement. U.S. funds have
Foreign Operations, and Related Programs appropriations
helped build a secure communications network for Mexican
measures that the House and Senate Appropriations
agencies in the southern border region, which just became
Committees approved during the 115th Congress. H.Rept.
operational. By 2019, U.S. funds aim to help Mexico
115-829, accompanying the House committee bill H.R.
collect biometric information that can interface with U.S.
6385, recommended providing $120 million in Mérida
databases at all of its migration stations. The State
Initiative aid. S.Rept. 115-282, accompanying the Senate
Department also has provided MRA funding to UNHCR,
committee bill S. 3108, recommended $163 million. S.
the International Organization for Migration, and others to
3108 stipulated that $18 million of the funds provided
improve access to asylum, give legal assistance to asylum
should be merged with MRA funds to help process asylum
seekers, provide alternatives to detention to asylum seekers,
applications of Central Americans in Mexico.
and increase the processing capacity at COMAR.
See also CRS Report R42917, Mexico: Background and
Bilateral Efforts
U.S. Relations; CRS In Focus IF10578, Mexico: Evolution
Bilateral cooperation on migration issues has continued,
of the Mérida Initiative, 2007-2019.
despite Mexico’s opposition to the Trump Administration’s
Clare Ribando Seelke, Specialist in Latin American
proposed border wall. On December 18, 2018, the two
Affairs
governments made a joint announcement in support of
Carla Y. Davis-Castro, Research Librarian
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Mexico’s Immigration Control Efforts
IF10215
Disclaimer
This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan shared staff to
congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and under the direction of Congress.
Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other than public understanding of information that has
been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in connection with CRS’s institutional role. CRS Reports, as a work of the
United States Government, are not subject to copyright protection in the United States. Any CRS Report may be
reproduced and distributed in its entirety without permission from CRS. However, as a CRS Report may include
copyrighted images or material from a third party, you may need to obtain the permission of the copyright holder if you
wish to copy or otherwise use copyrighted material.
https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF10215 · VERSION 19 · UPDATED