In 2024, 41% of refugees and migrants who entered Mexico irregularly indicated that this country was their final destination, a significant increase compared to the 26% recorded in 2023.
This is revealed in the most recent Protection Monitoring Report in Mexico published by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) on the occasion of World Refugee Day.
The report, based on interviews with more than 14,000 people in 19 cities across the country, also shows that for the first time, women represent the majority of the surveyed population, accounting for 55% of the total, while a third of those surveyed are children or adolescents.
This trend confirms the displacement of entire families and a structural change in the profile of forced mobility in the region.
The main reasons for leaving their countries of origin remain the same: more than half of the people reported having been direct victims of violence, threats, or intimidation, while others cited widespread fear of insecurity and lack of employment as triggers.
In addition, 76% indicated they would face significant risk if they returned to their country of origin, reinforcing their potential right to protection under the Mexican asylum system.
The UNHCR report warns that risks in transit and within the country have increased.
In 2024, 58% of the surveyed population experienced some security incident before arriving in Mexico, and 40% were victims of crimes once inside the country, a figure that rises to 64% in the northern region.
Robberies, extortion, threats, and kidnappings are among the most common crimes.
One of the most critical findings of the monitoring is the increase in people without official documentation: 83% did not have any type of document issued by Mexican authorities, compared to 31% in 2023.
This condition prevents access to basic services such as health, education, or employment, and increases the vulnerability of this population.
Despite a 43% decrease in asylum applications during 2024, the Mexican Commission for Refugee Assistance (Comar) recognized 74% of those who completed their applications as refugees, indicating that most of these individuals have legitimate grounds for requesting protection.
Given this situation, UNHCR stressed the urgency of strengthening the asylum system, expanding regularization mechanisms, and maintaining monitoring efforts to guide evidence-based public policies, in a regional context where forced displacement persists and Mexico is increasingly consolidating its position as a destination country.
