Migration Governance Institutions in Latin America and the Caribbean

This study analyzes the institutional architecture of migration governance in 32 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). It maps more than 200 institutions with migration-related mandates, organized into four functional categories: (i) migration policy (formulation, implementation, and coordination); (ii) border control and immigration services; (iii) international protection, nationality, and regularization; and (iv) services for nationals abroad and returnees.
The findings reveal both convergences and divergences in institutional arrangements, highlighting subregional specificities: diaspora-oriented governance in the Caribbean, management of transit and return in Central America and Mexico, and institutional reforms in South America in response to Venezuelan migration. Although LAC countries have moved toward a regional rights-based paradigm that promotes safe, orderly, and regular migration, structural challenges persist, particularly institutional fragmentation, overlapping mandates, and limited intersectoral coordination.
Regional processes such as the Quito Process, the Regional Conference on Migration, and the South American Conference on Migration play a key role in strengthening shared principles and coordinated governance. The report underscores the regions emerging role as a reference point for innovative, rights-centered migration governance, while highlighting the need for sustained institutional reforms to ensure effective responses to complex and constantly evolving migration dynamics.