The number of people attempting to cross the U.S.-Mexico border from countries beyond Mexico and Central America's Northern Triangle — including residents of Haiti, Cuba, Romania and India — has spiked during recent months. Why it matters: On top of natural disaster and economic crises in home countries, the growing backlog of asylum cases in the U.S. — which often allows migrants to live and work in the country as their case plays out in court — is being conveyed to friends and relatives. It can prompt them to catch flights to Central America. When border enforcement resources are overwhelmed, some smugglers and migrants also see it as an opportune time to cross — regardless of their clients’ origin, Jessica Bolter of the Migration Policy Institute told Axios.