Irregular migration through Mexico falls by up to 86% since Trump’s return

Irregular migration through Mexico fell by up to 86% during parts of this year compared to the same periods in 2024, according to data from Mexican immigration authorities.

The sharp decline in undocumented migrants transiting through Mexico follows US President Donald Trump's return to the White House for a second term, which has been marked by a staunch anti-immigration agenda and increased pressure on foreign governments to curb northward migrant flows.

Figures released by Mexico's National Immigration Institute (INM) show that between January and September this year, a total of 135,233 undocumented or irregular migrants were registered or detained by Mexican immigration authorities, representing a dramatic drop compared with the same period in 2024, when 1,005,321 undocumented migrants were recorded.

May stood out as the most notable month in the downward trend, with the INM reporting just 5,128 migrant encounters compared with 125,499 undocumented migrants registered in May 2024.

Venezuelans, Hondurans and Colombians made up the majority of detained and registered migrants. Men remained the largest demographic group, accounting for 68.9% of all migrants transiting through the country.

After Trump took office on Jan. 20 this year, his anti-immigration stance quickly reverberated in Mexico. He reportedly demanded that Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum curb migration or face tariffs on Mexican exports.

Regarding Mexico's domestic immigration policy, INM data indicates that the government has largely complied with US demands.

Most detentions in 2025 occurred in the country's southeast near the border with Guatemala, particularly in Chiapas, where 31,472 migrants were detained, accounting for 23.3% of all detentions. Tabasco recorded the highest number, with 76,136 detentions, or 56.3% of the total.