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Central American and Mexican Claims

A family of Colombian refugees lives in Ecuador in 2020.

UNHCR has long recognized the protection needs of individuals fleeing threats or harm by gangs and other organized criminal groups in various parts of the world, including Central America and Mexico, and it has concluded that, depending on the circumstances, survivors of such violence may be considered in need of international protection.  As part of its efforts to understand and address these protection needs, UNHCR has conducted studies and published information on these types of claims.

Key UNHCR Resources

For a discussion of substantive considerations relevant to gang-related asylum claims,  see:

For more detailed analysis of the situation in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras and an assessment of the potential international protection needs of asylum seekers from those countries, see:

Additional Materials