12 September 2023
US-Mexico Border World’s Deadliest Migration Land Route
Deaths and disappearances of migrants in the Americas are increasing every year; 2022 was the deadliest year since IOM’s Missing Migrants Project began in 2014. Photo: IOM/Camilo Cruz
Geneva/Berlin/San José – The International Organization for Migration (IOM) documented 686 deaths and disappearances of migrants on the US-Mexico border in 2022, making it the deadliest land route for migrants worldwide on record.
The figure represents nearly half of the 1,457 migrant deaths and disappearances recorded throughout the Americas in 2022, the deadliest year on record since IOM’s Missing Migrants Project (MMP) began in 2014.
The data comes from IOM’s MMP annual overview, which underscores the growing death toll and increasing risks that migrants face throughout the region. These figures represent the lowest estimates available as many more deaths are likely to go unrecorded due to lack of data from official sources.
“These alarming figures are a stark reminder of the need for decisive action by States,” said Michele Klein Solomon, IOM Regional Director for Regional Director for Central and North America and the Caribbean. “Enhancing data collection is crucial. Ultimately, what is needed is for countries to act on the data to ensure safe, regular migration routes are accessible.”
https://www.iom.int/news/us-mexico-border-worlds-deadliest-migration-land-route