In Mexico, the immigration system is struggling to handle the overwhelming number of migrants attempting to travel north. The situation has reached a breaking point, with shelters in Mexico City, Tijuana, and other cities reaching full capacity. At a shelter in Mexico City, the nun in charge announced that there was no more space available, as the facility designed for 100 people was already housing 500 migrants. Frustration is growing among those waiting for appointments at a refugee aid office near Mexico's southern border with Guatemala. Many have been waiting for weeks to receive the necessary documents that would allow them to continue their journey north. On Monday, the situation reached a boiling point, and frustrated individuals stormed the refugee aid office.

Similar scenes are playing out across the country as Mexico's immigration system is strained under the increasing number of people desperate to reach the United States. The surge of migrants has led to a range of responses from Mexican authorities, including shutting down railways heading north and busing migrants to areas with fewer migrants.

Meanwhile, in the United States, officials are grappling with a new wave of unlawful border crossings, further straining government resources. Thousands of migrants have been crossing into Eagle Pass, Texas, leading the mayor to declare a state of emergency. To help process the arrivals, 800 active-duty military personnel have been deployed.

One notable shift in migration patterns is the increase in people coming from South America compared to Central America. Mexican officials have recorded 140,671 migrants from South American countries in the first seven months of the year, compared to 102,106 from Central America. Record numbers of migrants are coming from Venezuela and Ecuador.

The changing migration patterns are especially visible in the Darien Gap, the jungle terrain connecting Colombia and Panama. Venezuelans and Ecuadoreans are the most prominent nationalities passing through this dangerous stretch, turning migrant crossings into a multimillion-dollar business. In 2022, nearly 250,000 people crossed the jungle, setting an annual record. This year, the number has already risen to 380,000 as of September 18th, according to Panamanian authorities.

Several factors are driving the exodus from South America, including a faltering economy in Venezuela and increased violence related to narco-trafficking in Ecuador. The recent assassination of a presidential candidate in Ecuador has further dimmed hopes for improvement.

Guatemalan officials have also noticed a notable increase in people crossing their borders in recent weeks. They plan to send more soldiers and police officers to tighten border security. While there are no official estimates, the International Rescue Committee approximates that about 5,000 people are arriving daily in southern Mexico to be processed by the refugee aid agency in Tapachula. Thousands more are bypassing the refugee office and continuing north unlawfully.

The Mexican government is facing an unprecedented number of asylum requests this year. The refugee aid agency has received 99,881 asylum requests so far, a significant increase compared to previous years. The United Nations High Commission for Refugees predicts that Mexico will receive a record 150,000 asylum applications in 2023.

Rafael Vel??squez, the International Rescue Committee country director for Mexico, expresses concern about the needs of people entering the southern part of the country. He notes that people are now asking for basic necessities such as water and food, indicating a worsening situation. Migration patterns are also shifting, with concentrations of migrants now spread across the entire country.

Complicating the migration situation is Mexico's National Migration Institute, which has been under scrutiny since a fire at a detention center in Ciudad Ju??rez killed 39 migrants in March. The head of the agency, Francisco Gardu?±o Y???±ez, faces a criminal charge related to the blaze but continues to oversee its operations. Most migrant detention centers are shut down pending a review by the National Human Rights Commission.

Mexico has been attempting to stop large numbers of people from traveling north using a combination of immigration agents and National Guard troops. However, most individuals apprehended are released in Mexico. Deportations have dropped by 55 percent compared to the same period last year, with only 34,557 deportations in the first seven months of 2023.

Mexican President Andres Manuel L??pez Obrador criticizes the current approach to migration, stating that the focus should be on addressing the root causes that force people to leave their homes. He emphasizes that people do not leave their countries for pleasure but out of necessity.

Lawyers and humanitarian workers argue that Mexican immigration officials are rarely detaining people and instead temporarily holding them in buses or makeshift facilities for up to 36 hours before releasing them with voluntary departure notices. This tactic serves to exhaust migrants during multiple trips across Mexico, where they often face robbery, extortion, kidnapping, and sexual violence from officials and organized crime groups.

Bus terminals in northern Mexico have been ordered to stop selling tickets to migrants due to threats from law enforcement officials and organized crime groups. Workers report Mexican police, National Guard, and migration agents boarding buses at checkpoints, sometimes demanding payment from migrants to continue their journey north.

In response to the dangers migrants face while unlawfully riding trains, Grupo Mexico, which operates several railways in the country, has temporarily halted 60 trains on northbound routes. Migration officials also announced increased sweeps along train lines. However, these dangerous and exhausting journeys through Mexico often leave migrants ready to attempt a risky unlawful crossing into the United States.

The situation at the border is reaching a breaking point, with people losing hope. The strain on Mexico's immigration system, along with the increasing number of unlawful border crossings in the United States, highlights the urgent need for comprehensive solutions to address the root causes of migration and provide humanitarian assistance to those in need.