More than 124,000 migrants have arrived at the border with Mexico

He Jesuit service for refugees (JSR) documented the arrival of more than 124,000 migrants to seek asylum at the southern border in the first half of the year Mexicowhere are the offices in Mexican Commission to Aid Refugees (Comar).

Karen PerezThe coordinator of the JSR in Tapachula, on the border between Mexico and Guatemala, told EFE that in the last 60 days they noticed an even greater increase in the flow of people, since they noticed that they were entering from 3000 to 5000 people per day, living on the street or huddled together.

“We have had this high number for at least two months and with this observation, where it can even be identified that there is a lot of street situation, people staying in hotels, renting (renting), who are trying to get to shelters, but everything is at maximum capacity,” he warned. Perez.

CONTINUOUS MIGRATIONS

The situation on the southern border reflects data from to eatdepending on the Ministry of the Interior (Segob), which received almost 75,000 asylum applications in the first half of the year and is expected to close 2023 with an unprecedented figure of 150,000.

Likewise, Mexico is experiencing an increase in migration flow after the initial decline caused by the expiration of Title 42 of the United States last May, as acknowledged last month by the President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.

A Cuban arrived within this wave Maritza Almazan Garridowho fled his country due to psychological abuse and human rights violations, as well as progressive sclerosis and diabetes.

The migrant and thousands of her compatriots are waiting for authorities to verify their appointment with the CBP One application, with which the United States allows them to seek asylum.

“I came three days ago, but I thought it would be more disciplined, I thought it would be like in Comar, that they have their number and that people go in organized lines. What I saw here was terrible, a crowd of people, it was organized queue, a group of people came and stopped the queue,” he said.

THE NEEDS ARE GROWING

The situation is worsening because the needs of migrants are growing, such as food and health carebecause many arrive with chronic respiratory diseases, dengue or chikungunya.

Osmel Salgadofrom Central America, went to the immigration offices to continue with the paperwork in Tapachula, but was delayed due to the large number of people who have to sleep to stand in line.

“My ticket is a plane ticket (to the border with the United States), but if they don’t give me permission, I can’t go on,” the man lamented.

She is the coordinator Jesuit service for refugees in Tapachula pointed out that in the jungle on Darienbetween borders Panama and Colombiathe passage of migrants triples, so a larger group could arrive in 15 days.

From a group of 18 organizations, JSR observes in the corridors of Chiapas and in camps on the Suchiate River, which separates Mexico from Guatemala.

The organization called on the Mexican authorities not to imprison migrants in Tapachula, which they consider a “prison city” from which they cannot leave.