Mexico
Mexico, once seen as a corridor for those in need of international protection, has become a safe haven for those forced to flee.
Last updated 26th September 2025
Mexico hosts more than 800,000 refugees, asylum-seekers, stateless and other displaced people. Refugees want what anyone else would: to live in safety, to provide for their families and a bright future for their children.
Shelter
to provide protection for those fleeing danger
Specialised services
to support women and girl survivors of violence
Local integration
helping empower refugees to start a new life
What is the situation in Mexico?
With 500,000 asylum claims from more than 100 nationalities in the last five years, Mexico is among the top ten countries globally for new asylum claims. Most people are fleeing political persecution, threats, extortion and forced recruitment by gangs or cartels in Honduras, Cuba, Venezuela and Haiti. Most displaced people in the Americas remain in Latin American countries, and Mexico is one of the main destinations.
In response to increasing needs, Mexico is a global champion for integrating refugees, thanks to a strong asylum system and progressive legal framework. Supporting refugee integration from employment to education, psychosocial support to housing assistance is a key focus of all UNHCR Mexico’s work, and particularly through its Local Integration Programme (PIL).
Successful integration at a local level is crucial in helping refugees to settle safely in the long term and ultimately end the cycle of displacement. When refugees are supported to rebuild their lives, host communities and the whole of society benefits. For example, refugees participating in the PIL contribute more than 275 million Mexican pesos – approximately £11 million – in taxes each year. And that’s just scratching the surface of the contributions of the refugee population in Mexico.
What is Mexico’s role as a refugee hosting country?
Mexico continues to evolve from a country of origin and transit to a safe haven for people forced to flee. At the end of 2024, the country generously hosted 150,000 refugees and 260,000 asylum-seekers – mostly from Honduras, Venezuela, El Salvador, Cuba and Haiti.
How is UNHCR supporting refugees in Mexico?
Working closely with federal and local government and the private sector, UNHCR supports refugees in Mexico not only to survive but to thrive. From legal assistance to employment to protecting vulnerable communities, colleagues support people forced to flee throughout their journeys, providing immediate support and empowering individuals and families in the long term. In 2024, UNHCR Mexico supported 140 shelters, provided legal assistance to 96,000 people and offered specialised assistance to 1,700 women and girl survivors of violence.
What is the situation for women and girls in Mexico?
Women and girls who are forced to flee face unique challenges and experience heightened vulnerabilities and the situation in Mexico is no exception. In 2024, women represented nearly half of all asylum claims in Mexico.
UNHCR is committed to addressing the root causes of violence against women and girls. Last year, more than 1,700 women and girls received specialised and comprehensive services, including medical, legal, psychosocial and employment assistance through UNHCR and its partners. Access to formal, well-paid work is also a key way to prevent violence – a study conducted by UNHCR Mexico found that it is the most important protection mechanism to prevent violence against women and girls.
How are refugees in Mexico supported through the Local Integration Programme?
The Local Integration Programme is a flagship programme that relocates refugees from southern states to areas with thriving economies. Refugees who choose to take part in the programme are supported to relocate from southern border towns, where most displaced people enter the country, to towns in central and northern Mexico with greater capacity to support newcomers and better job opportunities. It’s a comprehensive process, and UNHCR covers transport costs, monitors the protection needs of participants, helps with school enrolment and more.
UNHCR Mexico’s Local Integration Programme has provided 50,000 refugees with the meaningful opportunity to start a new life since it was launched in 2016. Additionally, UNHCR colleagues have assisted 113,000 refugees across the country since 2021 with holistic support throughout their journeys.
What impact does local integration have?
UNHCR Mexico’s Local Integration Programme transforms the lives of the refugees who take part. Before taking part in the programme, 55 per cent of participants lived in poverty, including 41 per cent in extreme poverty. One month after relocation, 82 per cent of participants were above the poverty line, rising to 98 per cent after six months.
The impact on education is similarly powerful. 67 per cent of households reported that all school-aged children were out of school before taking part in the programme. One month later, 44 percent of households reported that all children were enrolled; after six months, 84 percent of school-aged children were enrolled in school.
The vast majority of participants are able to find satisfying employment and access key services like social security and banking – and these benefits continue months and years after relocating.
How can the private sector help?
Currently, 650 companies have partnered with UNHCR to employ refugees in Mexico, but more support from the private sector is urgently needed.
Major international cuts to humanitarian aid are jeopardising UNHCR Mexico’s ability to sustain this extraordinary impact. To continue to make refugee inclusion viable in Mexico, UK for UNHCR is working in partnership with businesses and the public sector on a coordinated response. Our ultimate goal is to achieve sustainable solutions for refugees that end the cycle of displacement.
To learn more about how your business can get involved, please reach out to the Corporate Partnerships team at [email protected]
Where can I find out more about UNHCR’s work in Mexico?
To access the latest data and reports on UNHCR’s vital work in Mexico, please visit the Operational Data Portal and country landing page.
Did you know that UNHCR is present in 13 localities across Mexico and works with 23 partners? UNHCR Mexico partners with many local organisations over the long term, empowering them to build their capacity and strengthen their expertise.
Pedro* left Cuba, his home country, and lived in Haiti for more than eight years, but worsening gang violence forced him to flee to Mexico. Through the Local Integration Program, he was relocated to Aguascalientes, where he found a job at a multinational company. After one year in Mexico, Pedro has successfully obtained his permanent residency as a refugee, a dignified job and the opportunity to rebuild his life in a new place. “In Aguascalientes, I feel safe, I feel free. My dream now is to have my job, buy my house here, retire in Mexico, and live here until death do us part.”
Photo: © UNHCR/Jeoffrey Guillemard