Requests for asylum fall more than 40 percent in Mexico.

Asylum applications in Mexico have experienced a significant decrease of 41.9% so far this year, reaching a total of 36,860 cases.

However, this decline is accompanied by increasing complaints from migrants about legal obstacles that hinder the processing of their paperwork before the Mexican Commission for Refugee Assistance (Comar).

Between January and May 2024, there have been 26,576 fewer applications than the 63,436 registered in the same period of 2023, a year that ended with a record of 140,982 applications, representing an 18.2% increase from the previous year, according to figures from the Mexican government.

The main country of origin of asylum seekers in 2024 is Honduras (15,389), followed by Cuba (8,029), Haiti (3,353), El Salvador (2,896), Venezuela (2,068), Guatemala (2,014), Colombia (1,010), Nicaragua (456), Ecuador (337), and Chile (192), among others.

Despite the decrease in applications, Comar has only resolved one out of every three cases, approving 73% of them.

In Tapachula, the largest border town with Central America, nearly two-thirds of the applications (23,838) are concentrated.

The decrease in asylum applications coincides with an increase in migration restrictions in both Mexico and the United States, where President Joe Biden has implemented measures to limit asylum and expedite deportations.

This situation has left many migrants trapped in makeshift camps awaiting a response to their requests.

Appointments through the CBP One mobile application to present asylum cases in the United States and legally cross the border can take up to six months. This forces migrants to settle in Mexico for long periods.