Due to natural phenomena, lack of opportunities, or political crises and violence, hundreds of thousands of Mexicans and Central Americans leave their communities of origin every year to head to the United States.
On foot, hidden in trailers, aboard the train known as “The Beast” and now in numerous caravans, undocumented people travel the country with the purpose of reaching and crossing the northern border.
In their attempt, many are detained and deported to their countries of origin, others decide to remain in Mexican territory.
The growing migration phenomenon led to the creation of a law on the subject in 2011, whose objective is for the Mexican government to address the phenomenon in a comprehensive manner: as a country of origin, transit, destination and return of migrants.
“The provisions of this Law (…) are intended to regulate matters relating to the entry and exit of Mexicans and foreigners to the territory of the United Mexican States and the transit and stay of foreigners therein, within a framework of respect , protection and safeguarding of human rights, contribution to national development, as well as preservation of national sovereignty and security,” states the Migration Law.
Except in times of the coronavirus pandemic, the trend of the migratory phenomenon has been on the rise, which is why the United States government has put increasing pressure on Mexico to control the flow of migrants.
These are five graphs that show how Mexico is a country of sending, transit, destination and return of migrants.
Mexico, expeller of migrants
Due to factors such as low wages and violence, thousands of Mexicans continue to leave their communities of origin for the United States. In that nation, 4 out of every 10 migrants are born in Mexican lands.
According to figures from the United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the so-called “encounter” of Mexican migrants on the border shared with Mexico has increased in the last three years.
Until 2020, the number of “encounters” with Mexican migrants did not exceed 300,000, however in 2021 there were 655,590 and a year later there were 808,340. In 2023, the figure reached 717,330 and in 2024, 653,684.
Mexican migrants account for the largest number of “encounters” by United States immigration authorities.
According to the 2023 annual migration bulletin of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Mexico is one of the main countries of origin for international migrants, ranking second only after India.
