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 looking for 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 a substitute of risking deportation to a crisis-ridden Haiti.
By Annika Hom
MEXICO CITY— Outdoors 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 patrons. “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 throughout 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 had been left stranded all through Mexico, with few choices however to hunt asylum in Mexico.
“It harm me as a result of my aim was the U.S.,” Johnny, 35, a married father of two, instructed The Haitian Instances.
“However I can’t return to Haiti—it’s unsafe,” mentioned Johnny, who selected to be referred to by his first identify for privateness causes.
“Earlier than the election, Trump promised People he was going to eliminate all of the immigrants, so I ready for no matter would occur.”
Frantzy, a 23-year-old Haitian immigrant looking for asylum in Mexico
Gangs expelled him from his house, forcing him to go away his spouse and youngsters behind. He hopes to carry them to Mexico, however as a result of a scarcity of funds, they continue to be in Haiti, the place they’re “at risk.”
Dwelling alone, Johnny rents an house in Tláhuac, Mexico Metropolis, an space locals name “Little Haiti” because of the rising Haitian group there. He earns about 500 pesos or $30 a day promoting masks outdoors the COMAR workplace, a necessity for asylum candidates who should put on them inside.
“I simply need to carry my spouse and children 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
Because the CBP One shutdown, asylum functions at Mexico’s refugee company (COMAR) have surged, particularly amongst Haitians, Venezuelans and Hondurans.
“We’ve got seen a big improve in asylum seekers,” mentioned Paulina Dávila Cessa, communications coordinator at Asylum Entry México, a world refugee authorized assist group.
Haitians alone accounted for one-third of the asylum circumstances dealt with by her group.
Whereas official 2025 asylum information isn’t obtainable but, a report reveals that in 2024, 79,000 asylum seekers utilized in Mexico—together with 10,853 Haitians, the third-highest nationality after Venezuelans and Hondurans, in accordance with COMAR.
However getting asylum approval in Mexico is much from assured.
Between 2013 and 2024, Haitians had the bottom asylum approval charge 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 identify for security causes, had already begun his asylum course of in September 2024. He anticipated stricter U.S. immigration insurance policies below Trump.
“Earlier than the election, Trump promised People he was going to eliminate all of the immigrants,” he mentioned. “So I ready for no matter would occur.”
His asylum interview happened on Jan. 31, 2025. Underneath Mexican asylum legislation, COMAR has 45 days to challenge a choice, although circumstances usually lengthen past 100 days as a result of 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 individuals 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 searching for refuge right here.”
Regardless of dreaming of Florida and already beginning to study English, Frantzy sees Mexico as a viable choice now.
“They’ve good organizations right here that assist immigrants,” Frantz instructed The Haitian Instances. “[And] I’m getting used to the spicy meals,” he mentioned sarcastically.
A sophisticated 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.
“It is a lie,” Alexandre mentioned. “I’m nonetheless focused on asylum, however they mentioned my case was closed.”
COMAR usually deems circumstances “deserted” if candidates transfer to different states or areas with out approval or fail to substantiate 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 South America and finally crossed the Darién Gap, a harmful jungle route between Colombia and Panama, earlier than reaching Mexico.
“The USA has a whole lot of alternatives, however so do many different nations.”
Berly Alexandre, a 29-year-old Haitian migrant looking for 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 towards deportation and offers a pathway to everlasting residency in Mexico. Nonetheless, the PC provides fewer advantages than the Mexican refugee program.
COMAR has not but responded to The Haitian Instances’ request for touch upon why Haitians have the bottom asylum approval charge. Nonetheless, some specialists counsel Mexico could grant different nations a lower threshold to use and that some Haitians may have been denied if that they had already been dwelling in a foreign country apart from Haiti when making use of.
“Some Haitians had been denied asylum if that they had beforehand lived in a foreign country earlier than making use of in Mexico,” mentioned Aparicio, noting Mexico’s inconsistent asylum standards.
Denials complicate choices for Haitians who could not need to return to their nation as a result of “instability” or want to migrate to the neighboring Dominican Republic, as tensions periodically flare between the 2 nations, Aparicio mentioned.
A contemporary begin in Mexico?
Regardless of the uncertainty, Alexandre, like many others, is optimistic.
His buddies 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 help from his dad and mom, who stay in France, whereas ready for authorized work authorization paperwork.
“CBP One app ending isn’t the top of the world,” Alexandre mentioned. “There’s at all times one other method. The USA has a whole lot of alternatives, however so do many different nations.”