JUAREZ, Mexico (Border Report) – Despite perceptions in the United States, the flow of migrants coming to the border continues at a steady pace, Mexican border experts say.
The difference is that thousands are now coming from southern Mexico to border cities like Juarez for appointments at U.S. ports of entry, while others are seeking entry in ways that are hard to document — such as hiring smugglers. That’s what some scholars and government officials said Monday at an immigration conference in Juarez.
“A lot of people are saying migration has halted. I dare say this is not the case,” said Enrique Valenzuela, head of the Chihuahua Population Council. “Here on this border, we find ourselves at somewhat of an impasse, where it would appear the flow of people stopped. But we see there is more interest in coming in through CBP One. We know because people come to us seeking help with the application.”
U.S. Customs and Border Protection recently reported 58,000 migrant apprehensions between ports of entry last August and 44,700 others processed through CBP One at ports of entry.
Valenzuela said migrant shelters that are church run, as well as those operated by Mexican government entities, remain 40 percent full or more.
The one thing that has vanished is large groups of people approaching the U.S. border wall and trying to surrender to the Border Patrol and claim asylum. Valenzuela said various factors account for that, including word-of-mouth among the migrants that approach no longer guarantees they will be released into the U.S. while their case goes through immigration court.
“It became clear that surrendering did not guarantee their stay,” he said.
Valenzuela said it’s possible the election of a new U.S. president will affect the migratory flow, as it has in the past. But he said no one knows exactly what will happen in weeks to come.
Rodolfo Rubio Salas, an investigator with Colegio de Chihuahua (Chihuahua College), said at least there is no mystery on how Mexico will handle migration in the future.
He said President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo brings continuity to the policies of her predecessor, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.
If anything, she has clarified which agency will take the lead when it comes to Mexican migration policy (the Ministry of Foreign Relations, as opposed to law enforcement). And she likely will push back at U.S. demands that Mexico do more to stem migration to the United States, he said.
“What can be improved (from Lopez Obrador)? Mexico has to negotiate better the decisions the U.S. makes in terms of migration and espouse a more definitive response,” he said. “In prior administrations, they just said ‘yes’ to decisions taken over there (in the United States). I would hope there is a more energetic stance and more protection for the rights of migrant people.”
(ProVideo contributed to this report.)