Migrants' Journey to the U.S. Increasingly Complicated by Cartel Ransoms in Mexico's Southern Border

The number of unlawful border crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border has been dropping for months, to the point that, during September, they reached the lowest monthly figure of President Joe Biden's administration.

The drop is attributed for the most part to the administration's toughening of asylum restrictions which were implemented back in June and further enhanced in the last two months. Republicans have argued that the administration's border policies are an election strategy by Democrats and have pointed to other policies as explanation for the drop, including Texas' Operation Lone Star.

However, there's another factor at play, as Mexico has also put forward efforts to curb migration, including a growing plan to transport non-Mexican migrants by bus and plane to the southern parts of Mexico, far from the U.S. border. The Mexican government has also increased detentions and added administrative steps.

Nevertheless, an unwanted consequence of these measures has been that cartels are now maintaining control over migration routes in southern Mexico, especially along the Suchiate River that separates the country and Guatemala where organized crime groups continue to exert significant influence, according to an in-depth report by the Associated Press.

Migrants crossing into Mexico from Guatemala often find themselves detained by cartels who demand payment before they are allowed to continue northward. Known locally as the "chicken coop," a large fenced structure on a rural ranch serves as the first stop for many, who are held there until they pay $100 to secure release. Many migrants held in the facility describe it as overcrowded, with some held for up to 15 days.

Migrants who have paid the ransom are stamped to indicate they've met cartel demands, and only then are allowed to travel onward. Vehicles heading to the city of Tapachula are regularly checked for these marks with those without stamps are sent back. This is one of the reasons behind Tapachula becoming the city with the highest levels of perceived insecurity in all of Mexico, with 9 in 10 residents (91.9%) feel unsafe.

Organized crime's role in controlling migrant passage aligns with escalating violence between the Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation cartels, who compete for dominance in Chiapas, a key smuggling corridor. Humanitarian organizations in the region report that cartels often obstruct their work, and some migrants who can't pay the ransom are subjected to physical and sexual abuse.

Some of the measures implemented to soften the amount of migrants at the U.S. Mexico border have also impacted the involvement of cartels. In August, the U.S. extended access to the CBP One portal, allowing migrants in southern Mexico to apply for asylum appointments online. This development was meant to relieve northward pressure by enabling travel permits for those with appointments at the U.S. border. However, only a small number have been transported from Tapachula to the northern border through this program and others, attempting the journey independently, report incidents of cartel kidnappings near the U.S. border.