MEXICO. – About 360 thousand migrants were intercepted in Mexico during the first quarter of 2024. The figure was provided by the report of Migration Policy Unit of the Secretary of the Interior of Mexicowhich was released on Saturday, May 4.
Between January and March of this year, 359,697 migrants were intercepted: this figure represents “an increase of 199,68% compared to 120,029 in the same period of 2023.”
Of this group of migrants, 89,718 are from Venezuela. This means that one of four migrants who pass through Mexican territory is Venezuelan.
Likewise, the personnel of the National Migration Institute (INM), the Mexican Army and the National Guard also intercepted 37,323 migrants from Honduras, 36,956 from Ecuador; 36,934 from Guatemala; 21,354 from Colombia, 18,711 from Nicaragua; 17,720 from El Salvador; 16,791 from Haiti and 10,464 from Cuba.
On April 29, the President of the United States Joe Biden and the President of Mexico Andrés Manuel López Obrador agreed to take measures to reduce irregular border crossings.
Immigration policy
In December 2023, the head of Mexico’s immigration agency ordered the suspension of transfers and returns of migrants in an irregular situation due to the lack of money in the National Migration Institute.
According to a December 1 document signed by the head of immigration, Francisco Garduño, the Ministry of Finance suspended payments in the month of November due to year-end adjustments. Added to this situation was the lack of liquidity to cover commitments.
Source: Migration Policy Unit of the Ministry of the Interior of Mexico
