Mexico’s National Institute of Migration (INM) is stepping up efforts to locate, detain, and remove migrants who fail to apply for asylum before making their way north to the U.S. Over the last six days, the agency interdicted more than 400 migrants.
The roundups involved patrols at transportation hubs, stash houses, and Rio Grande operations. Migrants are required to register upon entry and obtain travel documents. They come from a multitude of countries. According to INM, those arrested face removal.
In Puebla, 98 migrants were arrested between last Friday and Sunday. They came from Venezuela, Ecuador, Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, Colombia, Angola, Haiti, and Chile.
On Saturday in Veracruz, 149 migrants were encountered on a single tourist bus along the common route from Tapachula to Mexico City. The group of mostly Guatemalan migrants also included 10 others from El Salvador, Honduras, and India. The driver was turned over to authorities and the bus was seized.
On Friday on the Mexico-Puebla highway, more than 100 migrants lacking valid travel documents were found on buses. Some passengers hailed from as far as Cameroon, Togo, Congo, Mali, and China.
In one hotel being used by smugglers, Mexico’s National Guard and the INM found 34 migrants crammed into a room. They came from U.S.-designated special interest countries like Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.
Migrants in Mexico are required to remain in the state where they file a petition for refugee status until its conclusion. Many are becoming frustrated with the wait times. According to Mexico’s Commission on Refugee Assistance (COMAR), more than 10,000 migrants are registering each month for legal status.
Mexico’s crackdown comes as the Biden Administration proposes a new rule to limit asylum protections to those who first seek refuge in a safe third country or risk immediate expulsion. On February 21, DHS announced the proposed rule in preparation for the expected lifting of the Title 42 removal authority set for May 11.
According to DHS, migrants who fail to seek legal pathways would be subject to a disputable presumption of asylum ineligibility unless they meet specified exceptions. Migrants who cannot establish a valid claim would be subject to prompt removal under Title 8 authorities, which carries a five-year bar to re-entry.
The increased enforcement actions on both sides of the border have reduced the number of migrants surrendering in the United States in recent weeks. As reported by Breitbart Texas, large migrant group crossings and subsequent large-scale releases have significantly decreased.
Randy Clark is a 32-year veteran of the United States Border Patrol. Prior to his retirement, he served as the Division Chief for Law Enforcement Operations, directing operations for nine Border Patrol Stations within the Del Rio, Texas, Sector. Follow him on Twitter @RandyClarkBBTX.