Overview
- Administrative records cited by CEPAL show entries of undocumented foreigners aiming to reach the U.S. rose from 309,692 in 2021 to 1,234,698 in 2024.
- Venezuela has become the leading country of origin, displacing Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, with increases reported across most states and both borders.
- CEPAL underscores that the notion of “migration in transit” is difficult to define and measure, highlighting significant gaps in research and official statistics.
- Médicos Sin Fronteras reports that thousands of people are trapped in Mexico facing growing violence and criminalization, with health impacts compounded by deterrence measures.
- Mexico’s Foreign Ministry recently claimed a 91% drop in migrant encounters since October 1, 2024, underscoring the competing narratives that CEPAL says better data could reconcile.