Mexican rights commission: 5,000 migrants died trying to reach US since 1994

Mexico: 5,000 migrants died on way to US since ‘94

MEXICO CITY — Mexico’s National Human Rights Commission says more than 5,000 Mexican migrants have died in deserts, rivers and mountains trying to reach the U.S. since 1994.

The commission says governments must do more to protect migrants from robbers, smugglers and others who seek to exploit them.

It said Thursday in a statement that on average, three migrants perished every two days in 2007 and 2008 in the U.S.-Mexico border region.

According to the National Statistics and Geography Institute, more than 280,000 Mexicans emigrated in the first six months of 2009 — a 25 percent drop over the same period last year.

The U.S. economic downturn and crackdowns on immigrants have contributed to the drop.