Humanitarian workers, attorneys, and shelter directors operating along the Texas-Tamaulipas border have raised alarms about a concerning escalation in the dangers faced by migrants and asylum seekers in the area, with kidnapping and extortion of migrants reaching unprecedented levels since late 2023.
Interviews conducted by WOLA from February to early March 2024 show that the Texas-Tamaulipas border, particularly the Rio Grande Valley, has become a particularly perilous route for migrants seeking entry into the United States. So much so that Tamaulipas bears a "level four—do not travel" designation from the State Department, akin to Afghanistan's danger level.
