Mexico has been apprehending more migrants than the United States since May, as part of the country’s biggest migration crackdown ever. According to Reuters, Mexico has apprehended approximately 100,000 migrants a month since January, while US border officials apprehended 54,000 migrants trying to illegally cross in between ports of entry in September. 

The Reuters report details the Mexican government’s efforts to prevent migrants from reaching the US-Mexico border through detentions and administrative obstacles. There’s also a program to bus and fly non-Mexican migrants to the southern part of the country near Guatemala. 

The Reuters article is based on public data and conversations with a dozen US and Mexican officials. Reuters journalists also witnessed immigrants being put on buses at a military checkpoint just 25 miles south of the US-Mexico border. 

According to Mexican officials who spoke anonymously, the goal of the program is to tire migrants so they give up before reaching the United States. However, on the record, Mexico’s government said the purpose is to protect migrants from human traffickers. One immigrant from Venezuela told Reuters that he was apprehended, driven 2,000 miles south, and had to start his journey to America all over again. 

The report states the program is in its tenth month and started after US officials closed a key trade route into the country which had an estimated cost of $100 million a day. 

The data shows Mexico is now apprehending four times more migrants than it did during the Trump administration. Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum, who was just sworn in October 1, has promised to work with whoever wins November’s election.