Venezuela wins the migrant 'Copa América' as team members wait for a CBP One appointment

SEATTLE - Migrants awaiting for their asylum appointment near the Kiki Romero and Leona Vicario shelters had the chance to temporarily represent their countries in a Copa América-style soccer tournament organized by officials in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico.

Venezuela won the championship after defeating Ecuador 2-1 at the Estadio 20 de Noviembre. The win gave the Venezuelan team its second consecutive crown, though everyone who played in last year's team left Juarez long ago, seeking to enter the U.S.

What started as an activity to promote friendship and exercise among migrants residing in shelters has now turned into an escape from reality, and the chance of representing their countries has made the event a very popular and meaningful one among migrants.

"It's is something very beautiful that all the people in the shelters come out to play, have fun for a while," said Anderson, a migrant who represented Venezuela. "We leave the stress behind for a while, all the things we have gone through. ... Thank you, Mexico, for giving us some happiness," he added.

Santiago González Reyes, a Human Rights Department Director in Ciudad Juárez that oversees the Kiki Romero government shelter, said the event is exciting because it is the only sporting tournament in the world designed for migrants.

"We started this event last year to promote friendship among the migrant community (and) physical activity to the shelters," said Reyes. "It is a dignified activity that takes away the stress for people on the move, people who love their country very much," he added.

Migrants from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Venezuela, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Colombia and Ecuador participated in the second-annual migrant 'Copa América.'

According to data published in June by Migration National Institute (INM), migration in Mexico jumped to almost 650% year-to-year, almost reaching a record 1.4 million migrants encountered between January and May of 2024. Out of that total, the INM reported that 377,401 of the migrants came from Venezuela.

The figure is also likely related to the fact that migrants reaching the U.S. southern border have decreased significantly, with many remaining in Mexico while they wait for an appointment to enter the country legally after the Biden administration began cracking down on asylum-seeking. The Mexican government is also intensifying enforcement, with authorities taking migrants south of the country to deter them from making the journey to the U.S.

The more than 20 migrant shelters in Juárez remain half full, as many wait for their appointments while others take a break before deciding if they will go back or go across the border by any means necessary.