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Americas

Forced displacement in the Americas is rising, requiring regional cooperation, sustainable solutions, and protection for vulnerable groups.
A woman with two young children speaks with a UNHCR staff member, in Colombia.

Regional overview

With some 20.3 million forcibly displaced or stateless people, the Americas region is facing a forced displacement crisis that is unprecedented both in its complexity and scale. Violence, insecurity, deep-rooted inequalities and the impact of climate change continue to undermine human rights and basic needs.

Mixed population movements continue across the region, with increased onward movements towards Central America, Mexico and the United States of America, through the Darien Gap. 

Refugees and migrants face life-threatening and protection risks along displacement routes. Across the region, UNHCR responds to the immediate needs of affected populations, providing life-saving assistance, essential relief items and emergency shelter.

Global Appeal regional overviews:
2025 | 2024 | 2023

Global Report regional overviews:
2024 | 20232022 | 2021

Major protracted crises and displacement situations in the Americas

UNHCR's work in the region

Seeking durable solutions for refugees and internally displaced persons remains a critical priority for UNHCR. We prioritize protection interventions, humanitarian aid, and long-term solutions, including integration and resettlement.

UNHCR works with States to strengthen refugee protection, access to asylum and local integration. We respond to immediate needs by providing basic relief items and cash assistance. We also work with partners to empower communities and include refugees and asylum-seekers in national systems.

To build on the resilience of affected communities, our operations focus on community-centred interventions, including supporting volunteer networks. UNHCR also boosts feedback and complaint mechanisms across the region, allowing for constant communication with the affected population to ensure the response adapts to their needs, particularly in increasingly risky environments such as borders.

UNHCR’s presence in field locations remains crucial to coordinate efforts with local and national authorities in the monitoring of and quick response to displacement. 

Population and financial overview

Americas

Use the year selector to access information from previous years.

Populations

2025 figures
Americas | 2025
Total23.8 millionRefugees | 5%Refugee-like situation | 1%Asylum-seekers | 18%Returned refugeesIDPs | 42%IDP-like situationReturned IDPsStatelessOthers of concern | 7%Others needing international protection | 28%

Note: The "Stateless" category does not include stateless people who are also in other categories, to avoid double counting. The total number of stateless, across all categories, is .

Source: UNHCR Refugee Data Finder.

Population by country
Americas | 2025
Country of asylum ▲Population
Argentina177,894Aruba12,752Bahamas (the)761Belize2,288Bolivia (Plurinational State of)35,690Brazil963,781Canada626,257Colombia10,119,653Cuba185CUW14,971Dominican Republic (the)231,810Ecuador469,169El Salvador142,016Guatemala593,309Guyana25,393Haiti1,500,012Honduras317,860Jamaica237Mexico747,719Panama106,776Paraguay6,951Peru1,721,900Suriname3,242SXM192Trinidad and Tobago39,932United States of America (the)3,619,482Uruguay90,849Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)1,428,600Other810,187

Source: UNHCR Refugee Data Finder.

Population by origin
Americas | 2025
Country/territory of origin ▲Population
Afghanistan8,218Colombia7,536,349Cuba98,740El Salvador253,898Guatemala798,816Haiti1,846,367Honduras556,064Mexico262,411Nicaragua219,244Various4,450,262Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)7,676,111Other103,388

Source: UNHCR Refugee Data Finder.

Financial

Select Operation

Budget by Impact Areas
Americas | 2025
Total$815.2 millionProtect | 40%Respond | 16%Empower | 11%Solve | 33%
Protect: Attaining favourable protection environments
Respond: Realizing rights in safe environments
Empower: Empowering communities and achieving gender equality
Solve: Securing solutions

Source: 2025 budget was approved by ExCom in October 2024 while the 2024 budget figures include the latest supplementary appeals and are updated on a monthly basis.

Budget by Outcome and Enabling Areas
Americas | 2025
Outcome/Enabling areaBudget (USD) ▲
Systems and processes955,087Education3,821,508Healthy lives4,037,055Sustainable housing and settlements9,275,540External engagement and resource mobilization16,785,581Voluntary repatriation and sustainable reintegration18,518,600Child protection28,660,164Safety and access to justice35,720,750Protection policy and law41,524,613Gender-based violence45,368,774Refugee status determination59,517,061Resettlement and complementary pathways68,807,210Community engagement and women's empowerment73,759,620Local integration and other local solutions76,827,794Access to territory, registration and documentation80,404,005Self-reliance, economic inclusion and livelihoods104,286,523Well-being and basic needs146,902,567

Source: 2025 budget was approved by ExCom in October 2024 while the 2024 budget figures include the latest supplementary appeals and are updated on a monthly basis.

Budget by Operation
Americas | 2025
Operation ▲Budget (USD)
Argentina Multi-Country Office55,994,507Brazil52,473,336Canada3,109,510Colombia118,260,199Costa Rica40,426,647Ecuador73,300,000El Salvador28,564,680Guatemala37,893,643Honduras30,699,487Mexico117,942,622Other operations in the Americas6,305,666Panama Multi-Country Office53,442,957Peru70,491,823Regional Bureau for the Americas17,397,021United States Multi-Country Office49,337,349Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)59,533,005

Source: 2025 budget was approved by ExCom in October 2024 while the 2024 budget figures include the latest supplementary appeals and are updated on a monthly basis.

total POC

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Forced displacement in the context of climate change

Hurricanes, storms, floods, and droughts continue to disproportionately affect the region and lead to further displacement. The impacts exacerbate existing inequalities between men and women and affect access to resources.

For this reason, UNHCR will move forward with the implementation of its regional climate action plan in line with UNHCR's Strategic Framework for Climate Action. We promote increased resilience and protection of the most vulnerable and their hosts by reducing climate risks and adapting mechanisms for operational response to displacement in the context of climate change.

Eradicating statelessness

UNHCR supports States in fulfilling their existing commitments on statelessness. 

We offer them technical assistance in eradicating statelessness and access to civil documentation, and strive to ensure legal aid and counselling for people at risk of statelessness.