Huge spike in Central Americans crossing Mexico to US

By Nancy Caouette

MEXICO CITY

The number of Central American migrants who cross Mexico in a bid to reach the U.S. has increased by more than 150 percent between 2013 and 2015, the head of the Mexican National Institute of Migration (INM) said Wednesday.

Ardelio Vargas told Mexico’s senators that the mostly teen and young adult migrants are fleeing violence, poverty and drought in their home countries.

Most recent government figures show migrants are coming from Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Salvador, he said, but increasing numbers of Africans, Haitians, Asians and Cubans are also crossing Mexico.

“We have seen an exponential rise of extra continental groups of migrants,” he said. “For example, the number of Cubans went from 1,800 in 2014 to reach 15,000 last year. They are coming to the American continent through Brazil and Ecuador.”

Vargas said the uncontrollable wave of migrants has forced President Enrique Pena Nieto's administration to return more migrants that in previous years. About 500,000 have been returned since December 2012.

''The INM can't keep those extra-citizens in immigration detention centers indefinitely. The INM gives them 45 days to regularize their situation or it returns them to their country," Vargas said.

Minors attempting to reach the United States by themselves remain an important concern for Central America countries, Mexico and the US, he said.

According to the INM, those numbers jumped from 9,000 in 2013 to 40,000 in 2015 with 38 percent under the age of 11.

The flow of unaccompanied minors reached a crisis point in 2014 as tens of thousands crossed the U.S.-Mexico border, forcing American President Barack Obama to hold talks with the leaders of Mexico and some Central American countries.

That same year Mexico launched the South Border Plan in an effort to contain migration and protect migrants.

The plan includes more posts and officers in southern states but has been strongly criticized by human rights activists who contend the measures have led to more attacks against migrants without stemming the flow of migrants.