Migrants Trapped in Cartel-Controlled Border Crossings in Mexico

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Note: This article is shared from The Associated Press, with reporting by María Verza in Ciudad Hidalgo, Mexico, and contributions from AP journalists Matías Delacroix and Edgar Clemente.

BY MARÍA VERZA

Oct 30, 2024

CIUDAD HIDALGO, Mexico (AP) — In southern Mexico, where migrants cross from Guatemala, the first shelter they often find is a large fenced structure on a rural ranch, grimly nicknamed “the chicken coop.” Here, they wait under cartel surveillance until they pay a ransom to continue north.

Although U.S.-Mexico border encounters are at a four-year low, migrants continue flowing into Mexico, driven by hopes of reaching the U.S. Days before the U.S. election—where immigration is a focal issue—organized crime, rather than government agencies, determines who moves through these corridors. Some migrants pay a $100 ransom for release and are stamped to indicate payment.

Since January, over 150,000 migrants have been intercepted by Mexican immigration agents, a fraction of the overall movement in the area.

Control by Organized Crime

Migrants, who often experience initial abductions, recounted their ordeals to the Associated Press, corroborated by a federal official, on the condition of anonymity. A significant increase in migrant encounters—925,000 through August—is met with only 16,500 deportations. Meanwhile, Rev. Heyman Vázquez, a priest in Ciudad Hidalgo, observes cartel operations in full view of federal agents.

One Honduran family’s journey across the Suchiate River into Mexico quickly turned tense as cartel-affiliated men stopped them just minutes from crossing. These incidents are common, with cartel-controlled vans and taxis shuttling migrants to holding areas like the ranch, where hundreds sleep on the ground until they pay.

A Venezuelan woman, released with her family after days in captivity, noted, “Whoever doesn’t have money stays, and whoever pays leaves.” Some, like an Ecuadorian man, are even taken to banks to withdraw ransom funds, with family members held as collateral. After payment, migrants receive stamped marks on their skin, checked by armed men in transit. Those lacking stamps are turned back.

Cartels’ Stranglehold on Migrant Routes

As cartel violence escalates across Mexico, Chiapas has become a battleground between the Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation cartels, who now view migrants as a profitable commodity. These criminal operations pose challenges for aid organizations, with reports of gunmen blocking humanitarian assistance and a recent murder of a Catholic priest in Chiapas who had been outspoken about migrant issues.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has acknowledged the violence but continues policies that move migrants from the northern to southern border, increasing their vulnerability to extortion and kidnappings. Local officials, like Ciudad Hidalgo’s mayor, deny knowledge of migrant captivity sites, while advocates like Rev. Vázquez accuse authorities of collusion with cartels.

Mexico-U.S. Migration Policies and CBP One

In response to the crisis, the U.S. recently expanded its CBP One portal, allowing migrants in Chiapas to schedule asylum appointments. In turn, Mexico has opened “mobility corridors” to facilitate safe travel for migrants with appointments. But only 846 migrants were transported by Mexico’s National Immigration Institute over a month-long period, with others reporting extortion or kidnapping en route.

Jeyson Uqueli, a 28-year-old Honduran migrant waiting outside Mexican immigration offices in Tapachula, holds one such CBP One appointment. If he reaches the Texas-Mexico border by Nov. 6, he’ll reunite with his sister in New Orleans. With Donald Trump pledging to dismantle CBP One if elected, Uqueli expressed urgency: “Donald Trump is going to come in and get rid of them.”

Contributors: Matías Delacroix in Tecun Uman, Guatemala, and Edgar Clemente in Tapachula, Mexico