The number of asylum applicants in Mexico continues to climb to record-breaking levels, with the first 10 months of 2021 already far outpacing previous highs.
More than 108,000 people applied for asylum in the first 10 months of this year, according to Andrés Ramírez, head of Mexico’s refugee commission.
That’s more than ever before, outstripping the previous annual record of 70,000 asylum applications in 2019 by more than 50%. It's also nearly double the total number of people who asked for refuge in the country during the six year before that, according to Ramírez.
People from Honduras and Haiti now make up the largest portion of asylum seekers in Mexico, followed by those from Cuba, El Salvador and Venezuela.
Experts say policies that have largely cut off access to asylum in the United States are likely pushing more people to stay in Mexico. But the country has floundered in its efforts to drastically ramp up its asylum system in recent years.
Al concluir octubre, el número de solicitantes de la condición de refugiado en México llegó a 108,195 lo que supera en 53.8% la cifra récord de todo el 2019. @comar_sg
— Andrés Ramírez (@AndresRSilva_) November 1, 2021
