Migrants burst into Mexico asylum office demanding papers

TAPACHULA, Mexico (AP) — Migrants, mostly from Haiti, burst into an asylum office in southern Mexico on Monday, demanding papers.

Throngs of migrants knocked over metal barricades and rushed into the office in the city of Tapachula, pushing past National Guard officers and police stationed at the office. Some of the migrants were trampled by their colleagues in the rush.

Authorities later convinced many to leave, and no injuries were reported.

The tension comes as asylum claims in Mexico have skyrocketed, reaching over 100,000 so far this year.

Crowds of frustrated migrants, including many from Cuba and Honduras, say they have had to wait for weeks in some cases for an appointment at the office in Tapachula, near the border with Guatemala.

At the office, run by the Mexican Commission for Refugee Aid, migrants can file claims for asylum in Mexico. Most, however, intend to use the papers to travel more safely and easily to the U.S. border.

“It's very complicated, there are too many people here, the Haitians get desperate, they knock over the barricades and that only makes the process slower,” said Cuban migrant Miguel Argoten.

Argoten said he had been waiting a week in Tapachula to start the asylum application process.

The office has been getting about 2,000 appointment requests per day recently.

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