A Burdened Mexican Immigration System Prepares for Additional Pressure
Mexico’s immigration system is under pressure due to external policies, the threat of mass deportations of migrants already in the United States, and the possible elimination of the CBP One mobile app from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which would leave thousands of migrants stranded throughout Mexico with no clear path forward.
Mexico’s immigration system has struggled to manage its increasing number of migrant arrivals since the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly families fleeing countries like Venezuela. The migrant population has nearly doubled since 2018. Many people are also arriving with children. According to the Ministry of the Interior’s Unit for Migration Policy, Registry, and Identity of Persons, the number of migrant children and adolescents in the country rose by 514 percent in 2024 compared with 2018. The highest increase was the number of children aged eleven and under, which grew by 837 percent during the same period.
The CBP One app, launched at the end of the first Trump Administration and expanded during the Biden Administration, aims to provide a legal pathway for asylum seekers by scheduling appointments at U.S. ports of entry. This system was designed to reduce reliance on human traffickers and irregular crossings. According to Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, the app has enabled more than half of migrants to enter the United States legally, reducing irregular crossings by 75 percent between December 2023 and November 2024. However, this success has led to a surge in irregular entries into Mexico, with more than 925,000 migrants arriving between January and August 2024—double the previous year’s total.
Shelters are overcrowded, and temporary camps have appeared in many cities, including Mexico City. Conditions are poor, with migrants lacking access to clean water, sanitation, and health care. Many children in these camps are deprived of education and safe spaces to play, heightening their vulnerability.
The Human Rights Commission of Mexico City has stressed “the need to address migration with a human rights perspective, focusing on priority groups such as children and adolescents.”
Civil society, religious groups, and international bodies like the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees are overwhelmed by the growing demand for support. Migrants face exploitation, violence, and insecurity while in limbo, with no clear solution. At both the northern and southern borders of Mexico, migrants are frequently targeted by cartels, criminal gangs, and corrupt authorities—all of whom have turned migration into a highly profitable business.
The threat of mass deportations by the United States further complicates Mexico’s role. With thousands of migrants already in the country, the prospect of increased deportations places immense strain on Mexico’s immigration system. The government must balance protecting migrants’ rights with its ability to manage an unprecedented influx of people. Despite Mexico’s public commitment to human rights, its infrastructure is not equipped to address the scale of the crisis.
Editor’s note: Following Donald Trump’s Inauguration, on January 20, an announcement was posted on the CBP website announcing that the functions of the CBP One app were “no longer available, and existing appointments have been canceled.”