New Challenge to Mexico: Immigration from Asia and Africa Is Growing
Migrations movements all over the world and the pursuit of new opportunities are changing the outlook, especially with the increasing numbers of immigration from Asia and Africa to Mexico.
The monthly average of arrested and returned Asians grew 45% from 2017 to 2018, and from Africans had increased to 36%.
In 2017, they were 5,170 Asian incomes, which is around 430,8 migrants per month.
Those incomes coming from the African continent were 178, representing 625,5 monthly entries people.
Now, in 2018 there was a big difference.
The Federal Agency registered 7,506 incomes from Asia, 625,5 entries per month.
Meanwhile, from Africa, there were 958 incomes, which is translated to 245,5 people monthly.
When talking about refugees, the average number of people from 2018 to 2019 has increased this way:
Asia 3,6 to 5.
Africa 5,75 to 8.
These figures are according to La Razón Mexico.
Guillermo Alonso Meneses, the internationalist of Colegio de la Frontera Norte, explained this phenomenon.
The opening policy aroused the interest of foreigners who did not consider Mexico as an option before, whether to reside or to transit to the United States.
“The government of Mexico and the National Institute of Migration have sent the message that there will be papers (documents) to travel and even work”, told Meneses.
“This is what in migrations theory is known as called effect”, added.
Eduardo Rosales, a migration specialist at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, said that Mexico has become in a safe and attractive country.
This is due to this new immigration policy and the conditions less bad for migrants to improve their quality of life.
He also warned that migratory flows from Asia to Africa will continue to increase because Mexico has transformed from a nation of transit to one of residence.
The largest numbers of immigration from Asia and Africa are coming from India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.
The Asian list continues with Pakistan and Iran.
Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola, Eritrea, Guinea, and Ghana headed the African continent list.
February 2019
On the other hand, the number of refugee applications from Asian migrants until the end of February 2019, adds up to 10 while from Africa it is already 16.
In the same period, but from 2018 there was only one application from a person from Asia. and 20 of Africans.
However, to the consideration of the experts in migration, the number of immigration from Asia and Africa will increase.
Guillermo Meneses emphasized that Mexico was considered as a launch pad to arrive in the United States in order to look for refuge or asylum.
But this, of course, it is difficult considering the restrictions of the country for entry and legañization of migrants.
So, they prefer not to return and try to survive in Mexico.
Meneses explained that Africans are a minority in, for example, Tijuana.
In here, there are no statistics but ethnographic findings for fieldwork.
Therefore, it is necessary to wait in the following years and months to confirm that the increase will be real.
The largest countries with the largest number of migrants in Mexico are listed below:
Asia
India: 215
Bangladesh: 138
Sri Lanka: 49
Nepal: 40
Africa
Cameroon: 92
Republique of the Congo: 58
Angola: 25
Eritrea: 22
A final tip: the total data of migrants is 8,525 who have arrived in Mexico this year.
7,812 come from America.
