Over 500,000 Mexican households forced to flee by cartel violence, new data shows
Mexico's statistics agency reports that more than half a million households were displaced by violence between October 2020 and October 2025.
New statistics from INEGI reveal that between October 2020 and October 2025, violence compelled 510,000 Mexican households—about 1.6 million individuals—to relocate within the country. The crisis spans all regions, but Zacatecas, Morelos, Michoacan, Queretaro and Colima recorded the steepest displacement rates. Previous estimates were fragmented, leaving civil-society groups to piece together the picture.
David Mora of the International Crisis Group called the release a "major breakthrough" for addressing long-term humanitarian needs. President Claudia Sheinbaum, who has focused on homicide reductions, questioned the figures and requested detailed methodology from INEGI. The numbers exclude displacement before 2020 and do not count those who have crossed into the United States.
Why it matters
The data quantifies a hidden humanitarian crisis, guiding policy and aid for millions forced from their homes by cartel violence.
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