Mexico Receives New Wave of Afghan Refugees: Sources

Mexican authorities announced that the influx of Afghan refugees has unprecedentedly increased in Mexico, aiming to reach the United States through illegal channels.  

According to official sources, in January, some 410 Afghan refugees entered the United States through this route.

The Mexican Commission for Refugee Assistance (COMAR) has announced that 13,000 people had applied for asylum in January, out of which there were 430 Afghan nationals, according to CNN. Although the number is not significant compared to that from Latin America, intending to migrate to the US, it indicates a considerable rise in the number of Afghan refugees in the Latin American country.

These asylum seekers will enter the US through human trafficking groups, who have been running this illegal business for decades in Mexico.  

Head of COMAR, Andrés Ramírez said most of the Afghan refugees move towards the north, border cities to the United States. “Afghan and Mexican culture varies quite a lot, therefore, Afghans prefer to move to the United, instead of settling in Mexico,” Mr. Ramirez.

Doctors Without Borders has confirmed to CNN the organization has witnessed requests for help from Afghan refugees in Mexico. The organization’s head of mobile services said, “when people are forced to leave their country due to different reasons, they are prone to vulnerabilities during the journey.” 

He further added that Afghan refugees are plagued with major linguistic barriers – they communicate either in Farsi (Persian) or Pashto.

Following the return of the Taliban to power in August 2021, thousands of Afghans fled the country fearing persecution and death threats from the Taliban regime. These migrants moved mostly to the neighboring countries including Iran, Pakistan, and beyond.

After Brazil, Mexico is a new destination Afghan refugees are reaching with the hope of entering the United States through illegal channels. These Afghan migrants are risking their lives throughout the journey to reach Mexico, and eventually to the US.

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