The International Rescue Committee (IRC) has issued a call to the international community to increase its support and funding aimed at strengthening humanitarian responses in Mexico. In this regard, a series of "priority actions" are highlighted that the country must implement to improve humanitarian assistance to migrants, such as creating mobile response teams, flexible assistance modalities, legal guidance and counseling, as well as psychosocial support for survivors of gender-based violence and other forms of violence.
The IRC revealed in a statement that, according to a new report published by the organization, 40% of migrant families surveyed at the Mexican borders have suffered violence against one of their members during their stay in Mexico. This study was based on interviews conducted with 817 people in border cities such as Reynosa and Matamoros, in the state of Tamaulipas, and in Tapachula, the main city on the southern border.
Reported forms of violence include extortion, kidnapping, physical assault, gender-based violence, arbitrary detention, and family separation. Additionally, 150 migrants in transit through Mexico or waiting to cross into the United States were interviewed, and it was found that the main needs identified by them were food (64%), shelter (55%), and safe transportation (48%).
Between January and July 2024, more than 700,000 detentions of people in movement were recorded in Mexico, reflecting the magnitude of the humanitarian crisis in the region. Rafael Velásquez, IRC director in Mexico, warned that organizations providing protection and asylum services in the country are operating above their capacity due to the ongoing flow of displaced people.
In light of the intensification of regional crises, such as in Venezuela or Haiti, it is expected that more and more people will arrive in Mexico seeking protection and safety. It is essential to intensify efforts to ensure safe, fair, and effective migration mechanisms and to provide adequate humanitarian assistance to migrants passing through the country on their way to the United States or seeking to settle in Mexico.
