The recent influx of crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border and the consequent supply chain disruptions will make migration a central point of debate in both countries' 2024 general elections, and could also eventually damage Mexico's attractiveness for nearshoring among some companies if the situation does not improve. The number of illegal border crossings from Mexico to the United States has surged in recent weeks, growing from 144,570 crossings in June to 232,972 in August, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data. While data is not yet available for the full month of September, reports indicate that the month is on track to surpass the record 252,000 border crossings recorded in December 2022. The influx of migrants reaching the southern U.S. border has strained CBP resources, leading to the closure of some official crossings to divert personnel to support migrant processing efforts. Closures and increased inspections have led to...
