Around the main plaza in Tapachula, Mexico, the streets and parks were packed with asylum seekers, many of them families with young children. Some had just arrived but were prohibited by Mexican immigration authorities from continuing farther north. Others had been caught by Mexican authorities and sent back to Tapachula. Human rights advocates say the crush of so many migrants and asylum seekers resulting from U.S.-backed containment policies has turned Tapachua into a cauldron, overwhelming public services and migrant shelters. Criminal organizations also have swooped in to cash in on the sea of desperate people stuck in Tapachula, offering to sneak them north for large sums of money. These groups often treat migrants like commodities, cramming them inside vehicles to maximize profits. As a result, there has been a spike in traffic deaths involving smuggling vehicles overloaded with people. Read more about the continued dangers migrants face in southern Mexico at the link in our bio. 📸: Omar Ornelas / El Paso Times and Nemesio Méndez Jiménez / AP