US border policy spurred migrant camps hundreds of miles away in Mexico's capital

MEXICO CITY (AP) — “That’s it, dude! Done!” exclaimed Eliezer López as he jumped up and down, throwing his arms to the sky and drawing a sign of the cross across his chest. His joy was so contagious, his friends started to emerge from nearby tents to celebrate with him.

López, a 20-year-old Venezuelan migrant in Mexico City, had reason to rejoice: after several frustrating attempts, he was able to secure an appointment to seek asylum in the U.S.

He is one of thousands of migrants whose U.S.-bound journey has landed them in the Mexican capital, the southernmost point until recently from which migrants can register to request an appointment to seek asylum through the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s mobile app known as CBP One.

Since June, when the Biden administration announced significant restrictions on migrants seeking asylum, the app became one of the only ways to request asylum at the Southwest border.

This U.S. asylum policy and its geographic limits are a driving force behind the emergence of migrant encampments throughout the Mexican capital where thousands of migrants wait weeks — even months — in limbo, living in crowded, makeshift camps with poor sanitation and grim living conditions.

Historically, Mexico City has not been a stop for northbound migrants. They try to cross the country quickly to reach the northern border. But the delays in securing an appointment, coupled with the danger that plagues cartel-controlled northern Mexico border cities and the increased crackdown by Mexican authorities on migrants have combined to turn Mexico City from a point of transit to a temporary destination for thousands.

Some migrant camps have been dismantled by immigration authorities or abandoned over time. Others, like the one where López has lived for the past few months, remain.

Like López, many migrants have opted to wait for their appointment in the somewhat safer capital, but Mexico City presents its own challenges.

Shelter capacity is limited, and unlike large U.S. cities like Chicago and New York, which rushed last winter to find housing for arriving migrants, in Mexico City, they are mainly left to their own devices.

Andrew Bahena, coordinator of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles, or CHIRLA, said that up until late 2023 many migrants were contained in southern Mexican cities like Tapachula, near the border with Guatemala. Many tried to disguise their location to defeat CBP One’s geographic limits, but when U.S. authorities took notice, more migrants began aiming for Mexico City to make their appointments from there, he said.

As a result, there has been an increase in the migrant population living in the Mexico City camps.

“We talk about this as border externalization and it’s something the United States and Mexico have been jointly implementing for years,” said Bahena. “The CBP One app is probably one of the best examples of that today.”

“These folks are asylum seekers, they’re not homeless people living in Mexico,” he added.

When López first arrived in Mexico City at the end of April, he thought about renting a room only to realize it was not an option.

He earned 450 pesos ($23) a day working three times a week at a market. Rent was 3,000 pesos a week ($157) per person to share a room with strangers, an arrangement that has become commonplace in Mexican cities with migrant populations.

“The camp is like a refuge,” said López. Migrants can share space with people they know, avoid the curfews and strict rules of shelters and potentially stay longer if necessary.

The camps are a maze of tents and tarps. Some call their space “ranchito,” or small ranch, assembled from wood, cardboard, plastic sheets, blankets and whatever they can find to protect them from the chilly mountain air and intense summer rains that pound the city.

At another camp in La Merced neighborhood, hundreds of blue, yellow and red tents fill a plaza in front of a church. It’s one of the capital’s largest camps and just a 20-minute walk from the city center.

“This is a place where up to 2,000 migrants have been living in the last year,” said Bahena. ”About 40% are children.”

Migrants in La Merced have organized themselves, building an impromptu pump that moves water from the public system and distributes it on a fixed schedule, with every tent receiving four buckets of water every day.

“At the beginning there were a lot of problems, lots of trash and people in Mexico didn’t like that,” said Héctor Javier Magallanes, a Venezuelan migrant, who has been waiting nine months for a CBP One appointment. “We made sure to fix those problems little by little.”

As more migrants kept arriving at the camp, he set up a task force of 15 people to oversee security and infrastructure.

Despite efforts to keep the camp clean and organized, residents haven’t been able to avoid outbreaks of illnesses, exacerbated by drastic weather changes.

Keilin Mendoza, a 27-year-old Honduran migrant, said her kids constantly get colds, especially her 1-year-old daughter.

“She’s the one that worries me the most, because she takes the longest to recover,” she said. Mendoza has tried accessing the free medical attention from humanitarian organizations at the camp, but resources are limited.

Israel Resendiz, coordinator of Doctors Without Borders’ mobile team, said the uncertainty of life in the camps weighs heavily on migrants’ mental health. “It’s not the same when a person waiting for their appointment (...) can get a hotel, rent a room or have money for food. The majority of people don’t have these resources.”

The secretary of inclusion and social welfare and the secretary of the interior in Mexico City didn't respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press about the camps. Press representatives of Clara Brugada, the incoming mayor of Mexico City, said the issue must first be discussed at the federal level.

Meanwhile, tensions between camp residents and neighbors have increased, sometimes leading to mass evictions of the camps.

In late April, neighbors from the trendy and central Juárez neighborhood blocked some of the city’s busiest streets, chanting, “The street is not a shelter!”

Eduardo Ramírez, one of the protest organizers, said it's the government's job to "help these poor people that come from their countries in search of something better and have the bad luck of traveling through Mexico.”

“They sleep on the streets because the government has abandoned them,” he said.

In a camp hosting about 200 families in the northern neighborhood of Vallejo, tensions — and fear — run rampant.

“One day they threw chlorinated water on a kid and hot water on another,” recalled 50-year-old Salvadoran Sonia Rodríguez, a resident of the camp.

Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

FILE - Young Brazilian migrants play in a tent encampment set up by migrants near the North Bus Station in Mexico City, June 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte, File)

A young migrant washes a dish after heavy rains at a tent encampment set up along the Vallejo train tracks, in Mexico City, Thursday, July 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)

FILE - Framed by clothing hanging to dry, Venezuelan migrants sit on a sofa at a tent encampment set up near the North Bus Station in Mexico City, June 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte, File)

Venezuelan migrant Alí Gómez holds a dish containing tamales and beans at a migrant tent encampment set up along the Vallejo train tracks, in Mexico City, Thursday, July 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)

Migrant Carolina Arriaga stands in a migrant tent encampment in Mexico City, Thursday, June 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)

FILE - Migrants gather at a tent encampment set up on the plaza of the Santa Cruz y La Soledad Catholic parish church, in La Merced neighborhood of Mexico City, Dec. 26, 2023. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte, File)

A Venezuelan migrant shaves a fellow migrant at a tent encampment set up on the perimeters surrounding the Santa Cruz y La Soledad Catholic parish church, in La Merced neighborhood of Mexico City, Monday, July 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)

A Colombian migrant child plays with plastic construction toys at a migrant tent encampment set up on the plaza of the Santa Cruz y La Soledad Catholic parish church Mexico City, Monday, July 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)

FILE - Venezuelan migrant Cristo Perez sits in the sun at a migrant camp on the perimeters of the Santa Cruz y La Soledad Catholic parish church, in La Merced neighborhood of Mexico City, July 31, 2024. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte, File)

FILE - Haitian migrants camp out at the Giordano Bruno plaza in the Juarez neighborhood of Mexico City, May 18, 2023. Federal immigration authorities cleared the tent encampment two weeks later, one of the largest in the city's downtown. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte, File)

Central America migrant children play on the plaza of the Santa Cruz y La Soledad Catholic parish church, in La Merced neighborhood of Mexico City, Monday, July 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)

FILE - A Venezuelan migrant bathes her child at a migrant tent encampment set up on the perimeters surrounding the Santa Cruz y La Soledad Catholic parish church, in La Merced neighborhood of Mexico City, July 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte, File)

FILE - Clothes are laid out to dry in a courtyard at a migrant tent encampment set up on the perimeters surrounding the Santa Cruz y La Soledad Catholic parish church, in La Merced neighborhood of Mexico City, July 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte, File)

FILE - Venezuelan migrant Osdeigly Granadillo hangs her clothes to dry at a migrant tent encampment set up on the perimeters surrounding the Santa Cruz y La Soledad Catholic parish church, in La Merced neighborhood of Mexico City, July 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte, File)

FILE - Venezuelan migrant Ali Gomez uses a bucket turned upside down to hold a compact mirror as he shaves sitting on a rail, at a migrant tent encampment set up along the Vallejo train tracks, in Mexico City, July 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte, File)

FILE - A Venezuelan migrant prepares chicken and rice to sell, at a migrant tent encampment on the plaza of the Santa Cruz y La Soledad Catholic parish church, in La Merced neighborhood of Mexico City, July 31, 2024. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte, File)

Venezuelan migrant Hector Magallanes, who has been waiting months for a CBP One appointment, has set up a task force to oversee security and infrastructure at a migrant tent encampment on the plaza of the Santa Cruz y La Soledad Catholic parish church, in La Merced neighborhood of Mexico City, Monday, July 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)

A Central American youth carries plastic containers as she goes to fetch water at a migrant tent encampment set up on the plaza of the Santa Cruz y La Soledad Catholic parish church, in La Merced neighborhood of Mexico City, Monday, July 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)

Venezuelan migrant Eliezer López spreads his arms in celebration after securing an appointment to seek asylum through the U.S. Customs and Border Protection's mobile app, CBP One, at a migrant tent encampment in Mexico City, Friday, July 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)

FILE - An aerial view of a migrant tent encampment set up on the plaza of the Santa Cruz y La Soledad Catholic parish church, in La Merced neighborhood of Mexico City, Dec. 26, 2023. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte, File)

City workers dismantled an abandoned makeshift camp that was known as "Little Haiti" in the Tláhuac borough of Mexico City, Friday, July 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)

GAINESVILLE, Va. (AP) — Alison Lee sparked a shirtless caddie celebration by spinning a wedge into the cup for eagle. Andrea Lee holed a bunker shot to set up Rose Zhang’s walk-off eagle one hole later. And Megan Khang paused for 10 seconds to let gravity help her out on a critical birdie putt.

The wait was worth it for the United States, which maintained a four-point lead over Europe in the Solheim Cup on Saturday.

With top-ranked Nelly Korda getting an afternoon break after winning the leadoff point in three consecutive sessions of team matches, U.S. captain Stacy Lewis watched her role players excel, and the Americans concluded a warm, breezy day at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club with a 10-6 advantage.

“They’re playing the way I expected them to play, so I’m not surprised at all,” Lewis said. “But at the same time, to do it on this stage and in these moments and to pull these shots off and to make the putts and to do it with the joy that they’re doing it with, it’s the coolest part to me.”

Europe, which has captured the Solheim Cup the last three times, won the last two matches to conclude a 4-4 day. But the team in royal blue and yellow will need its largest comeback in Sunday singles to make it a record four in a row. The U.S. rallied from four points down to win in Germany in 2015.

The U.S. needs 4 1/2 points from a dozen singles matches to win the cup, and Europe needs eight points to retain it. Captain Suzann Pettersen drew inspiration from the European Ryder Cup team's rally from the same deficit to win at Medinah in 2012.

“I was on the opposite side in Germany, and I know what it feels like,” Pettersen said. “Everyone remembers Medinah. I mean, it’s a tough task.”

Lewis has relied on data to find the right combinations, whether keeping Korda and Allisen Corpuz together for alternate shot; sending rookie Lauren Coughlin out with three partners; or giving Zhang a comfortable pairing with Andrea Lee, her fellow Stanford Cardinal.

“I know their games backwards and forwards, and it’s allowed me to create some really good pairings,” Lewis said.

Korda and Corpuz fell behind early against Carlota Ciganda and Emily Pedersen but turned it around on the back nine and got a break when Corpuz hit a worm-burner of a fairway wood into the par-5 14th hole that avoided the water and settled within 20 feet. Korda put her hands on her head in disbelief and Lewis gave Corpuz a shoulder rub in the fairway.

Korda holed the putt for eagle, her second in a row on a hole the U.S. has dominated, and she and Corpuz became the first American duo to go 4-0 in foursomes after winning twice last year in Spain.

“The Americans have played unbelievable. I don’t know how many eagles they’ve had. It seems like they’ve had double figures,” Hall of Famer and European assistant captain Laura Davies said. “They’ve just played great golf. Out-putted us at the moment. Deep squad of players. We’ll never say never, but it is going to be very, very difficult to get the cup back.”

A day after transportation problems prevented most fans from getting to the golf course for the opening tee shots, a situation that LPGA Commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan took responsibility for, the grandstands surrounding the first tee were full and fans lined the gallery ropes shortly after 7 a.m.

The only thing that kept them quiet was a slow start by the Americans, but it got loud once Korda started rolling.

In the first afternoon better-ball match, Anna Nordqvist and Madelene Sagstrom were 2 down to Khang and Alison Lee when Nordqvist birdied the par-3 11th hole. Khang's tying putt hung on the lip for 10 seconds before dropping, and she confirmed with a rules official that she had not waited too long for the ball to move.

Needing two putts to win the 14th, Khang made her 15-footer for eagle anyway, setting up the latest fist-pumping celebration for the Americans’ loudest cheerleader, who was next to the green in a cowboy hat when Corpuz hit her approach hours earlier.

Khang and Lee closed it out on the next hole for a 4-and-3 victory, Lee's first in a Solheim Cup match since 2015. She gave the U.S. an early lead with her wedge from 86 yards for an eagle 2 on the second hole, and the Americans’ caddies stripped from the waist up and chest-bumped to pay off a bet with Lee that they agreed to on the tee box.

“Literally holed out five minutes after that conversation. Great motivation,” Lee said.

Zhang and Andrea Lee never trailed in their 6-and-4 victory over Linn Grant and Celine Boutier. Zhang, the youngest U.S. player at 21 who had a forgettable Solheim debut last year, joined Korda and Coughlin by winning all three of her matches.

Pettersen benched Leona Maguire, a valuable contributor in the last two Solheim Cups who has played poorly this year, for both sessions. Rookie Albane Valenzuela also sat out all day, while Charley Hull and Pedersen played four matches each.

Hull delivered. The excitable English player hit a 300-yard-plus drive on the par-4 18th to set up a wedge to tap-in range by Esther Henseleit for a 1-up victory in foursomes over Ally Ewing and Jennifer Kupcho, then did it again as she and Georgia Hall beat Corpuz and Lilia Vu 2 up in better ball.

Lexi Thompson improved her record in alternate shot to 7-2-1 in what is likely her final Solheim Cup, teaming with the unbeaten Coughlin to make four birdies in six holes on the back nine and beat Maja Stark and Hall, 4 and 3.

Thompson and Ewing were beaten 2 and 1 by Ciganda and Pedersen in fourballs. Ewing has lost her last six Solheim Cup matches.

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

Europe's Anna Nordqvist hits from a bunker on the 15th hole during a Solheim Cup golf tournament fourball match at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Gainesville, Va. (AP Photo/Matt York)

United States' Rose Zhang smiles after winning a fourball match on the 14th hole during a Solheim Cup golf tournament at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Gainesville, Va. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

Europe's Emily Pedersen celebrates winning a fourball match during a Solheim Cup golf tournament at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Gainesville, Va. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

United States' Rose Zhang celebrates after hitting out of a bunker and into the cup on the 13th hole during a Solheim Cup golf tournament fourball match at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Gainesville, Va. (AP Photo/Matt York)

United States' Rose Zhang, right, is congratulated by teammate United States' Andrea Lee after hitting out of a bunker and into the cup on the 13th hole during a Solheim Cup golf tournament fourball match at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Gainesville, Va. (AP Photo/Matt York)

United States' Alison Lee, center, reacts flanked by celebrating caddies after finding the cup from the fairway on the second hole during a Solheim Cup golf tournament fourball match at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Gainesville, Va. (AP Photo/Matt York)

United States' Megan Khang celebrates after making a putt on the 14th hole during a Solheim Cup golf tournament fourball match at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Gainesville, Va. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

Europe's Anna Nordqvist hits from the fifth tee during a Solheim Cup golf tournament foursome match at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Gainesville, Va. (AP Photo/Matt York)

United States' Lexi Thompson smiles after winning a foursome match during a Solheim Cup golf tournament at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Gainesville, Va. (AP Photo/Matt York)

United States' Lauren Coughlin hits from a bunker on the 10th hole during a Solheim Cup golf tournament foursome match at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Gainesville, Va. (AP Photo/Matt York)

United States' Ally Ewing hits from the 18th fairway during a Solheim Cup golf tournament foursome match at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Gainesville, Va. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Europe's Esther Henseleit celebrates after winning a foursome match during a Solheim Cup golf tournament at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Gainesville, Va. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Europe's Charley Hull celebrates after winning a foursome match during a Solheim Cup golf tournament at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Gainesville, Va. (AP Photo/Matt York)

United States' Nelly Korda hits from the first fairway during a Solheim Cup golf tournament foursome match at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Gainesville, Va. (AP Photo/Matt York)

United States' Nelly Korda celebrates after sinking a putt on the 10th hole during a Solheim Cup golf tournament foursome match at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Gainesville, Va. (AP Photo/Matt York)

United States' Nelly Korda, left, is celebrates with teammate Allisen Corpuz after sinking a putt on the 10th hole during a Solheim Cup golf tournament foursome match at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Gainesville, Va. (AP Photo/Matt York)