The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi is urging the United States and other wealthy nations to do more in resettling migrants and refugees forced to flee their homelands.
The U.N. official also said Mexico needs to step up protection for asylum and refugee applicants, especially along its southern border.
U.N. figures show about 8,000 people applied for refugee status last year in Mexico, up from 5,000 from 2015.
Mexico is witnessing one of its worst periods of violence, and has suffered an estimated 150,000 gang-related murders and about 30,000 disappearances in the past decade.
Meanwhile, Washington, has heralded a drop in unauthorized southern border crossings as proof, its crackdown on illegal immigration is working.
