Beyond Border Security, Keeping Pace with Migrants, Refugees, and Climate Change

Mexico is no longer just a transit country for migrants, it has become a destination country for those seeking refuge from their home country. According to Refugee International, in 2021 Mexico saw over 70 percent increase in asylum cases. In addition, Mexico is seeing a growing number of internally displaced Mexicans due to religion, human rights violations, natural disasters, and clashes between rival gangs. While this has been an issue since the 1970s, it’s only in 2019 that it's been getting the official attention of the Mexican government, human rights organizations as well as international organizations.

Over the past few years, our screens have been inundated with pictures of thousands of people from Central America seeking entry into the United States. These migrants often referred to as the Migrant Caravan, have traveled through perilous crossings in different countries before reaching southern Mexico to gain entry into the United States. They are often fleeing violence, gang-related or organized crime as well as climate disasters, which are not well documented.