Mexico, the 'virtual wall' that contains migrants and hinders their integration

Mexico is increasingly functioning as a "virtual wall" for migrants en route to the United States, according to specialists and testimonies gathered by EFE. This "filter" not only controls passage but also presents substantial obstacles for those seeking to integrate into Mexican society.

For many, the journey's difficulties begin long before reaching the U.S. border. Activist Amarilis Eunice, who fled Nicaragua in 2024, recounted taking nearly nine months to obtain the necessary documents to start anew in Mexico. During this period, she was unable to open a bank account or secure employment, though she acknowledges her experience was more favorable than that of others stuck in a prolonged "limbo" awaiting their paperwork.

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There are many other cases of many other people who do not necessarily have networks in the place they arrive, and the difficulties increase much more.

Eunice highlighted the case of a woman she is assisting, who has been waiting over a year for her migratory resolution. Despite receiving two scholarships, she cannot enroll in master's programs to which she has been accepted due to the lack of official documentation. "She cannot enroll in the two master's degrees for which she has been accepted and has received scholarships, but she cannot enroll because she does not have a migratory resolution," Eunice stated.

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She cannot enroll in the two master's degrees for which she has been accepted and has received scholarships, but she cannot enroll because she does not have a migratory resolution.

A study titled 'Semillas en Trayectoria' (Seeds on Trajectory) quantifies these integration challenges, assigning a score of 0.6 out of 1. The research reveals that nearly 60% of migrants perceive discrimination when seeking employment, 59% encounter it in healthcare centers, and 4.9% report it when trying to rent housing, nearly triple the rate among the local population (1.8%). Displaced individuals face the most significant denial of their right to education (4.6%) and report the highest perception of discrimination in this area (63.9%).

José Antonio Aguilar, a co-author of the study and director of RacismoMX, suggests that these figures, based on data up to 2024, likely underestimate the current situation. He posits that integration outcomes have worsened since 2025 due to more restrictive Mexican state practices, influenced by U.S. immigration policies. "Mexico has become the wall of the United States, but it is a virtual wall; although it is not a physical wall, we are that filter," Aguilar explained, noting that the U.S. government has signaled its intent to restrict migrant passage.

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Mexico has become the wall of the United States, but it is a virtual wall; although it is not a physical wall, we are that filter.