A/HRC/11/7/Add.2 page 9 Mexico as a country of transit for migrants from Central and South America and the Caribbean and, to a much lesser extent, Asia and Africa; and evolution of Mexico into a receiving country for labourers, traders, and as a central harbour for transnational gang operators using migration as a “business” (smuggling and trafficking in persons), often linked to drug and arms cartels. These flows contain a large number of migrant children (boys and girls), including unaccompanied minors, and a small number of asylum-seekers. Females (girls, adolescents and adults) are a notable portion of these migrants, which makes them vulnerable to abuses. 25. Also significant is the scope of internal movement within the country, characterized by both the migration of Mexicans from rural to urban areas and from various parts of the country to the borders, as well as the movement of the foreign-born population with the initial intention of northward transit but who remain in various parts of Mexico for longer than intended and become locally integrated. Agricultural day-labourers, especially from the southern states of Mexico, such as Oaxaca, Chiapas and Veracruz, form the greatest part of this movement and are largely responsible for harvesting tomato and apple crops, among others, in the northern states of Sinaloa, Sonora and Coahuila. These internal migrants, estimated at up to 3.5 million, the majority of whom are of indigenous origin, live on ranches or farms for months at a time, making rotations when needed on a seasonal basis. Their working conditions, standards of health, housing, transport and education are reported to be below international standards. A. Mexican diaspora 26. Although this report focuses on Mexico as a country of transit and destination, Mexico has long been a country of origin with the majority of Mexican emigrants destined for the United States of America, and this dimension forms part of the general migration phenomenon of the country (see A/HRC/7/12/Add.2). It is estimated that more than 2.5 million Mexicans emigrated to the United States from 2000 to 2006, and approximately 560,000 in 2007. Figures indicate drops in emigration attempts in the first part of 2008, which may be related to the economic downturn and attendant rise in unemployment. While many Mexicans have made the United States their new home, have become legal permanent residents or naturalized citizens and gained from the education and employment opportunities in the country, the continued outward migration is a cause of concern for numerous reasons. 1. Risks for and abuses of Mexican migrants in the United States 27. Most importantly, as the United States has increased its border control policies (e.g. by erecting a wall along its southern border with Mexico, carrying out radar surveillance, and increasing its technical and human capacity to do roundups and arrest and detain undocumented migrants, inter alia), the journey that the average Mexican with irregular status makes to the United States has become more dangerous. According to the United States Border Patrol, roughly 4,000 migrants have died en route in the last 12 years, equivalent to about one death a day during the last decade. This startling number directly relates to the need for would-be migrants to undertake increasingly high-risk routes, which are often longer and involve traversing rough terrain in extreme temperatures. 28. Despite these risks, a significant portion of the Mexican population continues to attempt their migration northward without documentation. The United States has absorbed a high number