MEXICO CITY — The European Union says it is donating 4 million euros ($4.3 million) to help refugees in Mexico, Costa Rica and Honduras find living-wage jobs and better integrate into society. The announcement in Mexico City on Thursday came as the number of asylum seekers in Mexico in particular has skyrocketed. Just over 70,300 people sought asylum in Mexico last year, and this year is already outpacing last. Several organizations will be involved in carrying out the three-year initiative, which aims to create more job opportunities and protections for asylum seekers. Migrants who have been granted asylum and therefore can legally work contributed 40.6 million pesos ($2.1 million) to the Mexican economy last year, according to the EU.

Source: International New York Times February 13, 2020 22:30 UTC