There has been a significant reduction in the number of migrants arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border in 2024. While this may initially be seen as a victory for migration control policies, a publication by the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA) points out that this drop actually represents a consequence of harsh measures that do not address the real causes of migration.

The decrease in migrant arrivals is the result of more restrictive policies adopted by the U.S., Mexico and other Central American countries. Among these measures are increased border control, deportation of migrants and the implementation of stricter procedures for applying for asylum.

However, the text criticizes these policies as temporary and ineffective solutions, which only postpone the problem. According to the author, Adam Isacson, the reasons that lead thousands of people to migrate, such as extreme poverty, violence, the climate crisis and repressive political regimes, continue to be powerful forces. These factors push many people to risk their lives to reach the United States, and repressive policies fail to stem this long-term flow. On the contrary, repression pushes many migrants to seek more dangerous routes and put themselves in more vulnerable situations.

The U.S. asylum system is also criticized as insufficient to cope with the growing demand. Instead of welcoming migrants and processing their applications fairly, the government has implemented increasingly harsh policies, which include legal and physical barriers that hinder or prevent access to asylum. In addition, the text mentions that border authorities, especially in the state of Texas, are intensifying measures to prevent the entry of migrants, which includes the use of deterrence tactics and mass arrests.

Despite the drop in the number of migrants at the border, this should not be seen as a sign of the success of migration policies. Instead, the text suggests that this drop represents a "temporary control" on a situation that is much more complex and persistent. Thus, migration attempts will continue as long as the underlying causes, such as economic instability and insecurity in the migrants' regions of origin, are not addressed. Without structural changes in these areas, migration to the United States is likely to increase again in the future.

The humanitarian consequences of these policies are advancing, such as the increase in abuse, kidnappings, violence, and deaths of migrants along the journey. Many of them, when prevented from following safer routes, are forced to resort to more dangerous routes, controlled by human traffickers and drug cartels.

Therefore, as long as the United States and other countries in the region focus on containment policies rather than more holistic approaches that address the root causes of migration, the migration crisis will continue to intensify. Repression may temporarily reduce the numbers, but it will not solve the structural problems that force so many people to flee their countries in search of a better life.