Overview:
As a result of shutdown of the CBP One app, which had been an important instrument for asylum seekers and migrants to schedule authorized border appointments, 1000’s of Haitians stranded in Mexico are actually in search of refugee standing there. Whereas they specific disappointment at having their hopes of reaching the U.S. dashed, some view it as a chance for a greater life in Mexico as an alternative of risking deportation to a crisis-ridden Haiti.
By Annika Hom
MEXICO CITY— Exterior Mexico Metropolis’s Mexican Fee for Refugee Help (COMAR) workplace, Davidson Johnny balances a stack of black face masks and plastic sheet protectors, calling out to potential consumers. “Cubrebocas, cubrebocas!” he shouts in Spanish for “Masks, masks!”
Promoting masks on the road was by no means a part of Johnny’s plan when he left Port-de-Paix, the primary metropolis of Haiti’s Northwest Division, about 140 miles north of Port-au-Prince, final fall. Like 1000’s of different Haitians, he had headed to Mexico hoping to enter the U.S. legally utilizing the CBP One app, which in the course of the Biden administration allowed migrants to schedule refugee and asylum appointments with U.S. immigration officers.
However when President Donald Trump shut down the app on his first day again in workplace, many Haitians have been left stranded all through Mexico, with few choices however to hunt asylum in Mexico.
“It damage me as a result of my purpose was the U.S.,” Johnny, 35, a married father of two, informed The Haitian Occasions.
“However I can’t return to Haiti—it’s unsafe,” mentioned Johnny, who selected to be referred to by his first title for privateness causes.
“Earlier than the election, Trump promised Individuals he was going to eliminate all of the immigrants, so I ready for no matter would occur.”
Frantzy, a 23-year-old Haitian immigrant in search of asylum in Mexico
Gangs expelled him from his house, forcing him to depart his spouse and youngsters behind. He hopes to carry them to Mexico, however resulting from an absence of funds, they continue to be in Haiti, the place they’re “at risk.”
Residing alone, Johnny rents an residence in Tláhuac, Mexico Metropolis, an space locals name “Little Haiti” because of the rising Haitian neighborhood there. He earns about 500 pesos or $30 a day promoting masks exterior the COMAR workplace, a necessity for asylum candidates who should put on them inside.
“I simply wish to carry my spouse and youngsters right here,” he mentioned. “They’re nonetheless in Haiti, and so they’re at risk.”
Haitian asylum circumstances rising in Mexico—however so are rejections
For the reason that CBP One shutdown, asylum functions at Mexico’s refugee company (COMAR) have surged, particularly amongst Haitians, Venezuelans and Hondurans.
“Now we have seen a major improve in asylum seekers,” mentioned Paulina Dávila Cessa, communications coordinator at Asylum Entry México, a global refugee authorized help group.
Haitians alone accounted for one-third of the asylum circumstances dealt with by her group.
Whereas official 2025 asylum knowledge isn’t obtainable but, a report exhibits that in 2024, 79,000 asylum seekers utilized in Mexico—together with 10,853 Haitians, the third-highest nationality after Venezuelans and Hondurans, in line with COMAR.
However getting asylum approval in Mexico is way from assured.
Between 2013 and 2024, Haitians had the bottom asylum approval fee amongst main nationalities. Of 23,477 Haitian candidates, 62% were denied, a stark distinction to the upper approval charges for Venezuelans, Hondurans and Salvadorans.
“In Tapachula, many Haitians request asylum, however they’re getting denied,” mentioned Lucía Samayoa Aparicio, base supervisor at Medical doctors With out Borders in Tapachula, close to the Mexico-Guatemala border.
For a lot of, Mexico was at all times Plan B
Not like Johnny, Frantzy, 23, who selected to be referred to by simply his first title for security causes, had already begun his asylum course of in September 2024. He anticipated stricter U.S. immigration insurance policies beneath Trump.
“Earlier than the election, Trump promised Individuals he was going to eliminate all of the immigrants,” he mentioned. “So I ready for no matter would occur.”
His asylum interview came about on Jan. 31, 2025. Below Mexican asylum regulation, COMAR has 45 days to challenge a choice, although circumstances typically lengthen past 100 days resulting from backlogs.
Frantzy fears returning to his hometown of Petite-Rivière de l’Artibonite, an space within the decrease Artibonite Division the place a gang bloodbath killed over 20 folks final December and a Kenyan police officer from the Multinational Safety Assist Mission (MSS) was killed there on Feb. 23.
“In Tapachula, many Haitians request asylum, however they’re getting denied.”
Lucía Samayoa Aparicio, Base Supervisor of Medical doctors With out Borders
“Issues in Haiti are dangerous,” he mentioned. “I’m in search of refuge right here.”
Regardless of dreaming of Florida and already beginning to be taught English, Frantzy sees Mexico as a viable choice now.
“They’ve good organizations right here that assist immigrants,” Frantz informed The Haitian Occasions. “[And] I’m getting used to the spicy meals,” he mentioned sarcastically.
An advanced asylum course of
For some, asylum functions hit bureaucratic roadblocks.
Berly Alexandre, 29, began his course of in Tenosique, Tabasco, final November, just for COMAR to later declare his case was deserted.
“This can be a lie,” Alexandre mentioned. “I’m nonetheless concerned with asylum, however they mentioned my case was closed.”
COMAR typically deems circumstances “deserted” if candidates transfer to different states or areas with out approval or fail to verify their ongoing curiosity periodically.
Initially from Port-au-Prince, Alexandre first immigrated to Brazil in 2024 however struggled to combine because of the language barrier. He later traveled by way of South America and finally crossed the Darién Gap, a harmful jungle route between Colombia and Panama, earlier than reaching Mexico.
“The USA has a number of alternatives, however so do many different international locations.”
Berly Alexandre, a 29-year-old Haitian migrant in search of asylum in Mexico
Immigration specialists famous that in 2024, Tapachula dealt with practically 64% of Mexico’s asylum functions, but Haitian rejection charges stay the best. Nonetheless, many Haitians get hold of complementary protection (PC, per its Spanish acronym), which safeguards beneficiaries in opposition to deportation and supplies a pathway to everlasting residency in Mexico. Nonetheless, the PC affords fewer advantages than the Mexican refugee program.
COMAR has not but responded to The Haitian Occasions’ request for touch upon why Haitians have the bottom asylum approval fee. Nonetheless, some specialists counsel Mexico might grant different international locations a lower threshold to use and that some Haitians may have been denied if they’d already been dwelling overseas apart from Haiti when making use of.
“Some Haitians have been denied asylum if they’d beforehand lived overseas earlier than making use of in Mexico,” mentioned Aparicio, noting Mexico’s inconsistent asylum standards.
Denials complicate choices for Haitians who might not wish to return to their nation resulting from “instability” or want to migrate to the neighboring Dominican Republic, as tensions periodically flare between the 2 international locations, Aparicio mentioned.
A recent begin in Mexico?
Regardless of the uncertainty, Alexandre, like many others, is optimistic.
His pals have studied in Mexico, and if granted asylum, he hopes to pursue a grasp’s diploma in structure.
“They’ve good schooling right here,” he mentioned. “Brazil does, too, however I couldn’t perceive Portuguese.”
For now, he depends on monetary assist from his mother and father, who stay in France, whereas ready for authorized work authorization paperwork.
“CBP One app ending isn’t the tip of the world,” Alexandre mentioned. “There’s at all times one other manner. The USA has a number of alternatives, however so do many different international locations.”