In the city of Naucalpan, State of Mexico, hundreds of migrants gather around the offices of the National Commission for Refugee Assistance (Comar) in search of asylum. The building they approach for help resembles a factory on one of the dirt streets in the area, where the footprints of migrants fill the place.
Among those waiting for their turn is Lorenza Silvestre, a woman from the Dominican Republic who has been in Mexico for nine months and has been a victim of extortion, robbery, and corruption by immigration agents. In the midst of the overcrowding at Comar's offices, Lorenza prepares to tell her story with curly pink hair.
In this context, a banner can be seen that reads "Let's go together without fraud with Comar," the only sign indicating the location of the commission's headquarters. Meanwhile, nearby, the Comar offices in Tapachula, Chiapas, are also crowded with asylum seekers.
Some migrants have had heartbreaking experiences on their journey to Mexico, such as a man who fears even stepping out of his shelter for fear of being deported. Another Venezuelan migrant recounts his dream of finding work in Mexican lands to send money to his family in his home country.
Eunice Rendón, an expert on immigration matters, reports a significant reduction in asylum applications in Mexico in 2024, registering less than 79,000 compared to 140,720 requests in 2023. This has led some migrants to reevaluate their decision to try to reach the United States, such as Felicia Castillo, a Cuban who prefers to start her asylum process in Mexico due to political changes in the U.S.
Amid uncertainty and challenges in obtaining asylum, migrants find hope in places like the Comar offices, where they seek an opportunity to rebuild their lives in a new country.
