Angélica Delgado, a Cuban architect, and her partner, a doctor, have been prevented from practicing their professions in Mexico because their degrees obtained in Cuba are not recognized in that country. They decided to apply for asylum in the United States, but in light of the recent measures by former President Donald Trump that restrict access to asylum and militarize the border, they have had to rethink their plans. Along with hundreds of migrants from different nationalities, they have been stranded on the Mexican side of the border.
After the cancellation of the CBP One application by Trump, many migrants, including Delgado, have found it necessary to seek other alternatives. With difficulties in accessing the United States, they have opted to apply for asylum in Mexico. This decision is influenced by the increasingly restrictive immigration policies in the U.S. and a growing anti-immigrant sentiment in that country.
Despite the hopes placed in the Biden administration, which promised to open legal paths for asylum in the U.S., Delgado has decided to seek protection in Mexico. As the repression of asylum increases under Trump and the restrictions tighten under the administration of Joe Biden, more migrants from around the world have opted to build a life in Mexico instead of attempting to reach the United States.
The number of asylum applications in Mexico has seen a considerable increase, as migrants have preferred to avoid illegally crossing into the U.S. for fear of retaliation. Mexico has historically been welcoming to refugees, but the rise in asylum applications has posed challenges in terms of the capacity to process them.
Although the figures for asylum requests in Mexico have significantly increased in recent years, the ability of Mexican authorities to manage this flow of migrants has been questioned. President Claudia Sheinbaum has increased funding for the agencies responsible for migration and asylum in response to criticisms about the country's ability to cope with the rising demand for asylum.
