Mexican agencies ink deal to improve refugee care

MEXICO CITY - Mexican immigration and refugee aid agencies on Tuesday signed an agreement to improve the attention given to foreigners who seek asylum here, the Interior Ministry said.

The agreement basically calls for the agencies to coordinate their efforts to protect asylum seekers and expand their range of services, including offering humanitarian aid, first aid and orientation.

The head of the National Immigration Institute (INM), Tonatiuh Guillen, and head of the Mexican Commission for Refugee Aid (Comar), Andres Ramirez, signed the document.

Asylum applications have skyrocketed in Mexico since 2014, mainly due to the growing number of Central American migrants from Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala who tried to cross Mexico to reach the United States, which has cracked down on undocumented migrants.