Hundreds of migrants, most of them from Haiti, left the southern Mexican city of Tapachula on foot last month in search of better living conditions further north. But not too far north, said The Associated Press. Many Haitians have “lost hope of making it to the U.S.” because of the Trump administration’s restrictions on asylum seekers and instead look to “settle down in large Mexican cities.”
More than a million Haitians have been displaced amid widespread violence and a serious humanitarian crisis, and hundreds of thousands have fled the island to seek asylum. Many arrive in Mexico after lengthy journeys that include stops in countries such as Brazil and Chile.
Mexico’s asylum system is overwhelmed. According to its national agency for refugees, 127,000 Haitians petitioned for asylum in the country between 2020 and 2024, accounting for about 25% of all claims filed. The process is supposed to last just 45 business days, but in reality, the wait can “take more than one year,” said The Haitian Times.
Those who can find work while waiting are usually restricted to irregular low-paid jobs like construction or street vending. And the language barrier can often impose further limitations, with many refugees speaking limited Spanish.
But despite the challenges, many Haitians have been able to build a better life in Mexico. Haitians are “very resilient,” said Andrés Ramírez, the former coordinator of the Mexican Commission for Refugee Aid, to Yucatán Magazine. They can “integrate into Mexican society despite coming from quite a different culture.” |
