MEXICO CITY — Mexican authorities have been grappling with their own immigration issues, including trying to stop humans from being smuggled into their country. It’s a problem that statistics may not be able to capture. 

Between December 2018 and November 2019, Mexican agents identified and helped 601 victims of human smuggling. More than two-thirds of them (423) were underage.

But according to the government, these numbers don’t reflect the full extent of the problem. Many victims don’t report the crimes, fearing retaliation or attacks from the traffickers.

Mexico’s National Migration Institute reported that most of the human smuggling victims came from Central and South America. More than half of them came from Honduras (224) and Guatemala (139).

Mexico adjusted some of its migration policies and operations last year, as it faced pressure from Washington to stop migrants from crossing the U.S. border.