Southern Mexico: Asylum Seeker’s Needs
- The IRC analyzed data extracted from an emergency cash program in southern Mexico and identified that 85% of asylum seekers lacked a way to generate income.
- Participants in the IRC’s program expressed needs related to housing and resources to buy food.
Mexico City, Mexico, August 31, 2022 — As thousands of people in need of international protection continue to see Mexico as a potential safe destination—becoming the third highest receiver of asylum claims in 2021—the International Rescue Committee (IRC) warns about the increasing needs that they can find along the border with Guatemala.
After analyzing data extracted from an emergency cash relief program—which impacted over 800 people—the IRC found that people on the move in Tapachula, a border city in southern Mexico:
- Had arrived recently in the country. 77% of people had been in Tapachula for less than three months, which meant they were at different stages of their asylum claims and processes to access humanitarian aid to respond to their most urgent needs.
- Lacked a way to generate income. 85% of interviewed people were unemployed, which can be related to still being in process of requesting asylum. Most of those who expressed being able to generate an income reported having sporadic jobs (10% of the total of interviewed people).
- Relied on others for housing. 30% reported they were staying with relatives who had previously established in the city, while 12% stayed at a shelter. On the other hand, 36% lived in a rented place, becoming one of the main priorities for the program beneficiaries: 1 in 4 mentioned they used the emergency cash to pay for housing.
- Prioritized food. 50% of the program beneficiaries reported using the emergency cash to buy food for them and their families, considering that half were integrated by at least three or four people.
Rafael Velásquez, Director for Mexico at the International Rescue Committee (IRC), said:
“Mixed migration and displacement through Mexico has been a longstanding mechanism for people fleeing violence and conflict from Central and South America, as well as from the Caribbean. During the last years, although not a new phenomenon, we have seen a particular increase in the number of people requesting asylum in Mexico, with over 131,000 claims in 2021 and more than 51,000 in the first half of 2022.
“At the IRC we have identified Mexico as a strategic location to respond to the displacement crises in the region, including its potential to become a safe destination for some people. Despite this potential, the protection and asylum systems in Mexico are overwhelmed and support from the international community is not enough—for instance, there is not even a Humanitarian Response Plan, which could offer an opportunity to fund programs to respond to the most urgent needs of asylum seekers in the country.
“As needs grow, international cooperation and funding are even more critical to support and strengthen humanitarian responses to guarantee people’s integrity, regardless of their nationality or status.”
The IRC’s response in Mexico
Since 2019, the IRC is supporting people on the move in Mexico. Currently, the IRC responds along the main migration corridors: from the southern to the northern borders and along the routes through the country. The IRC’s programs offer a response to needs of displaced people and asylum seekers, including: economic recovery and development; mental health and psychosocial support; prevention and response to gender-based violence; access to critical information through InfoDigna, a multi-channel information platform; prevention and mitigation of COVID-19; child protection services; as well as identifying needs and referring cases to local service providers. Additionally, the IRC is supporting local integration efforts by providing cultural orientation to individuals who have chosen to stay in Mexico.
The IRC recently conducted an assessment of the situation that displaced people faced in northern Mexico. Click here to find more information.
