Michael, who fled Honduras with his pregnant partner and child after extortion threats, waits for assistance in Tapachula, near the southern border of Mexico, on September 11, 2023. (Seila Montes for HIAS)

Mexico

Michael, who fled Honduras with his pregnant partner and child after extortion threats, waits for assistance in Tapachula, near the southern border of Mexico, on September 11, 2023. (Seila Montes for HIAS)

Founded

2019

Contact

HIAS Mexico

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Mexico hosts more than 800,000 displaced and stateless people. Mexico is a transit and destination country for refugees and asylum seekers, with most displaced people originating from Honduras, Cuba, Haiti, El Salvador, and Venezuela.  

The influx of asylum seekers and migrants in recent years has created challenges for the government, civil society organizations, and first-responders. Most people seeking protection in Mexico are fleeing gang violence and threats, armed conflict, climate change, and domestic and sexual violence.

Resources are limited, and humanitarian organizations are overwhelmed. Throughout the country, displaced people face challenges in accessing essential services, programs, and mechanisms to exercise their rights. 

For over six years, HIAS Mexico has supported displaced people in rebuilding their lives safely. Projects were implemented to help refugees and asylum seekers obtain protection in Mexico through mental health and psychosocial support services, legal assistance, and the prevention and response to violence against women and girls. Currently, we advocate for fair and humane refugee and asylum policies in the country and the region. 

90,700

people received services in 2024

Our Work

We work to promote laws and policies that protect the rights of migrants, refugees, and displaced people in Mexico and the region. HIAS Mexico advocates before national and international authorities, builds alliances with civil society, and generates evidence to drive fair and humane solutions that ensure protection, access to services, and respect for human rights. In partnership with Columbia University and El Colegio de la Frontera Norte (COLEF), HIAS is carrying out a research project aimed at understanding the psychosocial impact of forced migration and violence on refugee and migrant populations. The study combines qualitative and quantitative methodologies to identify both risk and protective factors. Its purpose is to generate evidence that strengthens mental health and psychosocial support programs, while also guiding more sensitive and effective protection strategies in humanitarian contexts.

Plaintiffs of a court case stand in front of the court.

From mobilizing grassroots advocates to engaging policymakers, advocacy is fundamental to HIAS’ work. With the Jewish community beside us, we stand up for the rights of forcibly displaced people globally.

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Support Community Mental Health

HIAS’ community-based mental health programs promote the well-being of individuals, families, and communities affected by crisis and conflict so they can heal and rebuild their lives.

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Plaintiffs of a court case stand in front of the court.

Plaintiffs of Pacito v. Trump stand in front of the district courthouse in Seattle, Washington, on February 25, 2025. (Zhanna Veyts/HIAS)

From mobilizing grassroots advocates to engaging policymakers, advocacy is fundamental to HIAS’ work. With the Jewish community beside us, we stand up for the rights of forcibly displaced people globally.

Learn more

Impact Story

HIAS Colombia staff provide emergency support to Tatiana* and her family while in transit in Capurgana, Colombia on June 17, 2025. (HIAS Colombia) *Name changed for safety.

As Migration Patterns Shift, HIAS Remains Steadfast

Across Latin America, an underreported but profound shift in migration is under way. After years of moving north, thousands of people are now traveling south, forced into what many describe as a “reverse migration,” away from the United States and back toward countries they once fled. This reversal is not voluntary—it is being driven by increasingly restrictive U.S. policies that have made seeking asylum or other forms of legal entry nearly impossible.

Along the routes, HIAS is one of the few organizations still providing consistent support to people on the move.

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HIAS’ services are free. If someone tries to charge you for services claiming they represent HIAS, please report it at our confidential email address: ethics@hias.org. HIAS has a zero-tolerance policy on fraud and corruption. 

For any other inquiries please email us at info@hias.org.

Together, we can help create a world in which refugees find welcome, safety, and opportunity.

Your gift will help us provide vital services to refugees and asylum seekers and advocate for their fundamental rights so they can rebuild their lives.

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