The US-Mexico border has been a hot spot for illegal immigration, with thousands of migrants crossing every year in search of better economic opportunities and safety from violence and persecution in their home countries. The journey to the border is dangerous and migrants face many risks, including the risk of assault, robbery, kidnapping, and exposure to extreme weather conditions. The US government has implemented policies to deter illegal immigration, but they have faced criticism from human rights organizations and have done little to address the root causes of migration.

A deadly fire at a migrant detention center in northern Mexico has claimed the lives of at least 39 people and left 29 others seriously injured. The facility was holding 68 men from Central and South America, with many hoping to cross into the United States once pandemic-related public health rules are lifted in May. Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has suggested the fire was caused by migrants setting mattresses on fire in protest at being deported. Local media reports have indicated tensions between the detained migrants and staff at the facility prior to the fire.

The United States and Canada have reached an agreement that will allow both countries to divert asylum seekers from their borders at a time when migration has surged across the hemisphere. The deal will allow Canada to turn back immigrants at Roxham Road, a popular unofficial crossing point from New York for migrants seeking asylum in Canada, while in exchange, Canada has agreed to provide a new legal refugee program for 15,000 migrants who are fleeing violence, persecution, and economic devastation in South and Central America, lessening the pressure of illegal crossings into the United States from Mexico.