Mexico’s Immigration Control Efforts
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Updated March 13, 2023
Mexico’s Immigration Control Efforts
Background
biometric screening of migrants at detention centers using
Migration issues continue to be a high priority for U.S.
equipment supplied by the U.S. Department of Homeland
policy and Congress, particularly as U.S. Customs and
Security (DHS). INM also has sought to professionalize its
Border Protection (CBP) has reported record numbers of
workforce and to improve coordination with customs and
migrant encounters on the Southwest border. Mexico, like
federal, state, and local security forces. Despite reform
the United States, has struggled to deal with large numbers
efforts, INM retains a reputation for corruption and weak
of migrants, especially families and unaccompanied minors,
observance of migrant protections. As a result, migrants
many of whom seek asylum. Mexican President Andrés
remain vulnerable to crime and other abuses.
Manuel López Obrador has accommodated U.S. policies
that have shifted some of the burden of interdicting
In 2018, President López Obrador took office pledging to
migrants and hosting asylum seekers from the United States
adopt a humanitarian approach to migration and to promote
to Mexico. It is unclear, however, how Mexico will respond
development in Central America as a solution to
to any further changes in U.S. asylum policies that may
unauthorized migration. The government’s record in these
affect Mexico.
areas is mixed. For example, the Commission for the Aid of
Refugees (COMAR) has remained underfunded and retains
Increases in U.S.-bound migration through Mexico have
a large backlog of asylum cases. Observers also have
strained Mexican government resources and placed
questioned the effectiveness of Mexico’s contribution to
migrants at risk of harm. Historically, migrants entering
Sembrando Oportunidades (Sowing Opportunities), a U.S.-
Mexico have emigrated mostly from the Northern Triangle
Mexico development program to address the root causes of
countries of Central America (El Salvador, Guatemala, and
irregular migration from the Northern Triangle.
Honduras). Since the Coronavirus Disease 2019 pandemic,
the number of migrants entering Mexico from regions
Since 2019, López Obrador has taken a harder line toward
beyond Central America has increased substantially. In
migration, in part due to U.S. pressure. His government has
2022, for the first time, Mexican authorities apprehended
increased migrant apprehensions and restricted access to
more migrants from the Caribbean and South America than
humanitarian visas, particularly for those traveling in large
from the Northern Triangle (see Figure 1).
groups (caravans). As during prior enforcement surges,
migrants have taken more dangerous routes and increased
Figure 1. Mexico: Reported Apprehensions of
their reliance on smugglers. After Mexico deployed its new
Unauthorized Migrants by Region of Origin:
National Guard for migration enforcement, reports of
2017-2022
mistreatment of migrants rose. In a January 2021 operation
against migrant smugglers, state police reportedly killed 19
people, including Guatemalan migrants, near the U.S.
border. Since 2021, Mexico has sought to keep asylum
seekers in southern Mexico despite dire conditions there.
Mexico also has enforced new visa requirements for those
from Brazil, Ecuador, and Venezuela, and increased
expulsions.
Humanitarian Protection in Mexico
Mexico has a broader definition of refugee than the United
States and the 1951 U.N. Refugee Convention; Mexico
recognizes a right to asylum based on “generalized
violence; foreign aggression; internal conflicts; massive
violations of human rights; and other circumstances leading
Source: CRS, based on information from Mexico’s Secretary of the
to a serious disturbance of public order.” As a result, many
Interior.
of the migrants arriving in Mexico from the Northern
Mexico’s Immigration Control Policies
Triangle and elsewhere could qualify as refugees under
Mexican law.
Since 2014, with support from the United States, Mexico
has established naval bases on its rivers, security cordons
Asylum requests tripled in Mexico from 2017 to 2019,
north of its borders with Guatemala and Belize, and drone
declined in 2020 due to the pandemic, and have surged
surveillance in border regions. Unarmed agents from the
since 2021 (Figure 2). With support from the U.N. High
National Migration Institute (INM) have increased
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), COMAR reduced
operations along train routes and at bus stations, improved
the asylum request backlog in 2020 before again struggling
infrastructure at border crossings, and set up mobile
to meet record demand in 2021. In 2022, Mexico received
highway checkpoints. The agency reportedly conducts
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Mexico’s Immigration Control Efforts
115,756 asylum requests, with most asylum seekers from
assistance helped Mexican agencies build a more secure
Honduras, Cuba, Haiti, Venezuela, and Nicaragua. Since
communications network in Mexico’s southern border area
2020, Honduras has been the only Northern Triangle
and install biometric screening equipment that interfaces
country to remain among the top five countries of origin for
with U.S. databases in all 52 of its migrant detention
those seeking asylum in Mexico. Chile and Brazil also have
centers.
ranked among the top 10 countries of origin, although
experts maintain that most of those individuals are of
From FY2018 through FY2023, the State Department has
Haitian origin. Tens of thousands of Haitians moved to
provided more than $163 million through the Migration and
those countries after the 2010 earthquake in Haiti; some
Refugee Assistance (MRA) account to UNHCR to improve
have since migrated again due to immigration restrictions
access to asylum in Mexico, provide legal assistance and
and economic challenges.
shelter for asylum seekers, and increase COMAR’s asylum
processing capacity. MRA funds have supported other
Figure 2. Mexico: Asylum Applications: 2017-2022
humanitarian organizations involved in improving shelters,
providing medical aid to migrants, and transporting
migrants who voluntarily agree to be sent back to their
home countries.
Title 42
In response to the pandemic, DHS largely suspended
asylum processing at the U.S.-Mexico border in March
2020. The Trump Administration then expelled into Mexico
most migrants arriving without valid travel documents or
returned them to their home countries without asylum
hearings. Mexico has struggled to absorb those migrants.
The Biden Administration ended the use of Title 42 for
unaccompanied children and family units but left the policy
in place for single adults with some exceptions. According
Source: CRS, based on data from Mexico’s Commission for the Aid
to CBP data, the United States expelled around 2.5 million
of Refugees (COMAR).
people to Mexico under Title 42 from March 2020 to
U.S. Policy
February 2023.
The Biden Administration has modified some of the
As some countries limit or reject U.S. deportations of their
restrictive border migration policies that the Trump
citizens, Mexico’s willingness to accept expelled migrants
Administration introduced in coordination with Mexico.
from those countries helped sustain Title 42 enforcement.
After several delays due to court challenges, the
In October 2022, the Biden Administration announced it
Administration ended the Migrant Protection Protocols
would return most Venezuelans to Mexico under Title 42.
(MPP) policy requiring most asylum seekers who arrive at
In January 2023, DHS began Title 42 expulsions of Cubans,
the border to remain in Mexico during the adjudication of
Haitians, and Nicaraguans. At the same time, DHS
their applications. However, CBP has continued to enforce
announced a new humanitarian parole program that allows
most of the pandemic-related restrictions under a Centers
up to a joint total of 30,000 preapproved citizens of these
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) public health
countries per month to enter and remain in the United States
order (Title 42 of the Public Health Service Act). Mexico
for two years, subject to sponsorship and other
has assisted U.S. border enforcement by agreeing to accept
requirements.
a growing number of nationalities expelled under Title 42.
Congressional Considerations
Foreign Assistance
Related avenues for congressional consideration could
In October 2021, Mexico and the United States entered into
include legislation that would affect U.S.-Mexico migration
the U.S.-Mexico Bicentennial Framework for Security,
issues, including efforts to address root causes of migration,
Public Health, and Safe Communities. The framework,
migrant smuggling, and asylum processing at the U.S.-
which replaced the Mérida Initiative security cooperation
Mexico border. Congress could consider expanding,
agreement in place since FY2008, facilitates cooperation to
restricting, or placing conditions or reporting requirements
secure borders and ports as well as to reduce migrant
on U.S. assistance to Mexico through the Bicentennial
smuggling. Under the framework, DHS and Mexico’s
Framework and/or MRA funds. See also CRS In Focus
Federal Prosecutor General’s Office increased the size of a
IF12003, Migrant Smuggling: Background and Selected
joint unit that investigates migrant smuggling and human
Issues and CRS Report R47343, U.S. Border Patrol
trafficking crimes. From mid-2022 to January 2023, those
Apprehensions and Title 42 Expulsions at the Southwest
efforts led to the arrest of 8,000 smugglers.
Border: Fact Sheet.
Research Librarian Carla Y. Davis-Castro contributed
From FY2015 to FY2022, the State Department has spent
more than $58.5 million in funding to support Mexico’s
research for this product.
immigration control and border security efforts. U.S. funds
Clare Ribando Seelke, Acting Section Research Manager
have enabled the provision of nonintrusive inspection
Ramon Miro, Analyst in Latin American Affairs
equipment, mobile kiosks, canine teams, and vehicles, as
IF10215
well as training for more than 1,000 officials. U.S.
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Mexico’s Immigration Control Efforts
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 28 · UPDATED
Updated March 13, 2023
Mexico’s Immigration Control Efforts
Background
biometric screening of migrants at detention centers using
Migration issues continue to be a high priority for U.S.
equipment supplied by the U.S. Department of Homeland
policy and Congress, particularly as U.S. Customs and
Security (DHS). INM also has sought to professionalize its
Border Protection (CBP) has reported record numbers of
workforce and to improve coordination with customs and
migrant encounters on the Southwest border. Mexico, like
federal, state, and local security forces. Despite reform
the United States, has struggled to deal with large numbers
efforts, INM retains a reputation for corruption and weak
of migrants, especially families and unaccompanied minors,
observance of migrant protections. As a result, migrants
many of whom seek asylum. Mexican President Andrés
remain vulnerable to crime and other abuses.
Manuel López Obrador has accommodated U.S. policies
that have shifted some of the burden of interdicting
In 2018, President López Obrador took office pledging to
migrants and hosting asylum seekers from the United States
adopt a humanitarian approach to migration and to promote
to Mexico. It is unclear, however, how Mexico will respond
development in Central America as a solution to
to any further changes in U.S. asylum policies that may
unauthorized migration. The government’s record in these
affect Mexico.
areas is mixed. For example, the Commission for the Aid of
Refugees (COMAR) has remained underfunded and retains
Increases in U.S.-bound migration through Mexico have
a large backlog of asylum cases. Observers also have
strained Mexican government resources and placed
questioned the effectiveness of Mexico’s contribution to
migrants at risk of harm. Historically, migrants entering
Sembrando Oportunidades (Sowing Opportunities), a U.S.-
Mexico have emigrated mostly from the Northern Triangle
Mexico development program to address the root causes of
countries of Central America (El Salvador, Guatemala, and
irregular migration from the Northern Triangle.
Honduras). Since the Coronavirus Disease 2019 pandemic,
the number of migrants entering Mexico from regions
Since 2019, López Obrador has taken a harder line toward
beyond Central America has increased substantially. In
migration, in part due to U.S. pressure. His government has
2022, for the first time, Mexican authorities apprehended
increased migrant apprehensions and restricted access to
more migrants from the Caribbean and South America than
humanitarian visas, particularly for those traveling in large
from the Northern Triangle (see Figure 1).
groups (caravans). As during prior enforcement surges,
migrants have taken more dangerous routes and increased
Figure 1. Mexico: Reported Apprehensions of
their reliance on smugglers. After Mexico deployed its new
Unauthorized Migrants by Region of Origin:
National Guard for migration enforcement, reports of
2017-2022
mistreatment of migrants rose. In a January 2021 operation
against migrant smugglers, state police reportedly killed 19
people, including Guatemalan migrants, near the U.S.
border. Since 2021, Mexico has sought to keep asylum
seekers in southern Mexico despite dire conditions there.
Mexico also has enforced new visa requirements for those
from Brazil, Ecuador, and Venezuela, and increased
expulsions.
Humanitarian Protection in Mexico
Mexico has a broader definition of refugee than the United
States and the 1951 U.N. Refugee Convention; Mexico
recognizes a right to asylum based on “generalized
violence; foreign aggression; internal conflicts; massive
violations of human rights; and other circumstances leading
Source: CRS, based on information from Mexico’s Secretary of the
to a serious disturbance of public order.” As a result, many
Interior.
of the migrants arriving in Mexico from the Northern
Mexico’s Immigration Control Policies
Triangle and elsewhere could qualify as refugees under
Mexican law.
Since 2014, with support from the United States, Mexico
has established naval bases on its rivers, security cordons
Asylum requests tripled in Mexico from 2017 to 2019,
north of its borders with Guatemala and Belize, and drone
declined in 2020 due to the pandemic, and have surged
surveillance in border regions. Unarmed agents from the
since 2021 (Figure 2). With support from the U.N. High
National Migration Institute (INM) have increased
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), COMAR reduced
operations along train routes and at bus stations, improved
the asylum request backlog in 2020 before again struggling
infrastructure at border crossings, and set up mobile
to meet record demand in 2021. In 2022, Mexico received
highway checkpoints. The agency reportedly conducts
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Mexico’s Immigration Control Efforts
115,756 asylum requests, with most asylum seekers from
assistance helped Mexican agencies build a more secure
Honduras, Cuba, Haiti, Venezuela, and Nicaragua. Since
communications network in Mexico’s southern border area
2020, Honduras has been the only Northern Triangle
and install biometric screening equipment that interfaces
country to remain among the top five countries of origin for
with U.S. databases in all 52 of its migrant detention
those seeking asylum in Mexico. Chile and Brazil also have
centers.
ranked among the top 10 countries of origin, although
experts maintain that most of those individuals are of
From FY2018 through FY2023, the State Department has
Haitian origin. Tens of thousands of Haitians moved to
provided more than $163 million through the Migration and
those countries after the 2010 earthquake in Haiti; some
Refugee Assistance (MRA) account to UNHCR to improve
have since migrated again due to immigration restrictions
access to asylum in Mexico, provide legal assistance and
and economic challenges.
shelter for asylum seekers, and increase COMAR’s asylum
processing capacity. MRA funds have supported other
Figure 2. Mexico: Asylum Applications: 2017-2022
humanitarian organizations involved in improving shelters,
providing medical aid to migrants, and transporting
migrants who voluntarily agree to be sent back to their
home countries.
Title 42
In response to the pandemic, DHS largely suspended
asylum processing at the U.S.-Mexico border in March
2020. The Trump Administration then expelled into Mexico
most migrants arriving without valid travel documents or
returned them to their home countries without asylum
hearings. Mexico has struggled to absorb those migrants.
The Biden Administration ended the use of Title 42 for
unaccompanied children and family units but left the policy
in place for single adults with some exceptions. According
Source: CRS, based on data from Mexico’s Commission for the Aid
to CBP data, the United States expelled around 2.5 million
of Refugees (COMAR).
people to Mexico under Title 42 from March 2020 to
U.S. Policy
February 2023.
The Biden Administration has modified some of the
As some countries limit or reject U.S. deportations of their
restrictive border migration policies that the Trump
citizens, Mexico’s willingness to accept expelled migrants
Administration introduced in coordination with Mexico.
from those countries helped sustain Title 42 enforcement.
After several delays due to court challenges, the
In October 2022, the Biden Administration announced it
Administration ended the Migrant Protection Protocols
would return most Venezuelans to Mexico under Title 42.
(MPP) policy requiring most asylum seekers who arrive at
In January 2023, DHS began Title 42 expulsions of Cubans,
the border to remain in Mexico during the adjudication of
Haitians, and Nicaraguans. At the same time, DHS
their applications. However, CBP has continued to enforce
announced a new humanitarian parole program that allows
most of the pandemic-related restrictions under a Centers
up to a joint total of 30,000 preapproved citizens of these
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) public health
countries per month to enter and remain in the United States
order (Title 42 of the Public Health Service Act). Mexico
for two years, subject to sponsorship and other
has assisted U.S. border enforcement by agreeing to accept
requirements.
a growing number of nationalities expelled under Title 42.
Congressional Considerations
Foreign Assistance
Related avenues for congressional consideration could
In October 2021, Mexico and the United States entered into
include legislation that would affect U.S.-Mexico migration
the U.S.-Mexico Bicentennial Framework for Security,
issues, including efforts to address root causes of migration,
Public Health, and Safe Communities. The framework,
migrant smuggling, and asylum processing at the U.S.-
which replaced the Mérida Initiative security cooperation
Mexico border. Congress could consider expanding,
agreement in place since FY2008, facilitates cooperation to
restricting, or placing conditions or reporting requirements
secure borders and ports as well as to reduce migrant
on U.S. assistance to Mexico through the Bicentennial
smuggling. Under the framework, DHS and Mexico’s
Framework and/or MRA funds. See also CRS In Focus
Federal Prosecutor General’s Office increased the size of a
IF12003, Migrant Smuggling: Background and Selected
joint unit that investigates migrant smuggling and human
Issues and CRS Report R47343, U.S. Border Patrol
trafficking crimes. From mid-2022 to January 2023, those
Apprehensions and Title 42 Expulsions at the Southwest
efforts led to the arrest of 8,000 smugglers.
Border: Fact Sheet.
Research Librarian Carla Y. Davis-Castro contributed
From FY2015 to FY2022, the State Department has spent
more than $58.5 million in funding to support Mexico’s
research for this product.
immigration control and border security efforts. U.S. funds
Clare Ribando Seelke, Acting Section Research Manager
have enabled the provision of nonintrusive inspection
Ramon Miro, Analyst in Latin American Affairs
equipment, mobile kiosks, canine teams, and vehicles, as
IF10215
well as training for more than 1,000 officials. U.S.
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Mexico’s Immigration Control Efforts
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 28 · UPDATED