Mexico has announced a new initiative to provide escorted bus rides from southern Mexico to the U.S. border for non-Mexican migrants with U.S. asylum appointments. The National Immigration Institute revealed that buses will depart from Villahermosa and Tapachula, aiming to encourage migrants to apply for asylum appointments from southern Mexico rather than heading north to Mexico City or the border.
This announcement follows the recent expansion of access to the CBP One application to southern Mexico by the U.S. government. Previously, this app, which enables asylum seekers to register and await appointments, was only available in central and northern Mexico. The Mexican government hopes to divert more migrants to southern Mexico, further away from the U.S. border, as there are limited work opportunities in the south during the potentially lengthy waiting period for asylum.
Migrants who opt for the escorted bus rides will also be granted a 20-day transit permit, allowing them legal passage across Mexico, as mentioned in the institute’s statement. Mexican authorities had previously indicated that migrants with scheduled asylum appointments at the border would be respected, but some encountered issues at checkpoints and were returned south, missing their appointments.
The buses will be secured by local, state, and federal law enforcement, with meals provided during transit. This initiative could serve as a deterrent for migrants considering the dangerous journey north on foot, following a recent tragic incident where three migrants were killed and 17 injured in a road accident in Oaxaca.
Mexico’s push for expanded access to the CBP One app from southern Mexico is partly aimed at reducing the concentration of migrants in Mexico City. Many migrants had chosen to wait for their appointments in the capital due to better job prospects and relatively more security compared to cartel-controlled border towns. Some migrants opt to purchase plane tickets to their designated border crossing to lower the risk of interception by Mexican authorities or cartels, which frequently kidnap and extort migrants.
