Forced displacement continues to grow in numbers, and in complexity. Gang violence, persecution and human rights violations have left no other choice for around 720,000 people from the North of Central America but to flee either internally or across borders. The social and political crisis in Nicaragua since April 2018 has forced over 100,000 nationals to neighboring countries. UNHCR has expanded its presence and operational capacity in recent years to strengthen protection alternatives and facilitate solutions for those affected.

UNHCR’s Regional Bureau for the Americas oversees operations in the Americas and the Caribbean, one of the world’s most dynamic and complex displacement situation. By the end of 2024, it hosted 21.9 million forcibly displaced persons and others in need of protection – accounting for one out of every six displaced or stateless person globally. This includes refugees, asylum-seekers, internally displaced persons, stateless individuals, and others affected by violence, persecution, organized crime, and increasingly, climate-related disasters. Displacement patterns are evolving, with declining northbound mixed movements and new southbound routes. Protection risks remain high, while insecurity and funding shortfalls continue to constrain humanitarian access. Internal displacement continues in Colombia, Haiti, and parts of Central America and Mexico, and asylum seekers continue to seek protection in Mexico, Brazil, and Costa Rica. Millions of Venezuelans refugees and migrants remain in Colombia, Peru, Chile, Brazil, Ecuador and other countries. Despite the challenges, the region offers opportunities. The integration of refugees drives socioeconomic gains for the region, and governments are advancing asylum systems, regularization pathways and legal stay arrangements. Initiatives promoting socioeconomic inclusion and naturalization, reinforced by regional frameworks like the Quito Process, MIRPS, and the Cartagena+40 Chile Plan of Action, demonstrate the region’s political will and commitment to solidarity and responsibility-sharing.