About 3,000 migrants, carrying bags, water, and small children, braved the intense heat along a highway in southern Mexico on Tuesday, traveling in two groups with hopes of reaching the U.S. border. Over the past week, these caravans-large groups of people walking together-have reignited the contentious debate over immigration in the United States, especially as the November 5 presidential election looms.
"Whoever is in charge of the U.S. government, we will continue the fight to be there," declared Leivi Galvna, a migrant from Honduras. The group, marching under the sweltering sun, chanted motivational phrases like "yes we can" while pushing worn-out strollers. For many, caravans offer a safer alternative to traveling alone, amidst reports of frequent robberies, rapes, and kidnappings targeting migrants.
"I travel more safely in a caravan; I don't want to be killed in Mexico," said Yoisy, a Venezuelan migrant frustrated by the lengthy wait for an appointment through the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) One platform to apply for asylum. The Security Ministry in Chiapas, Mexico's southernmost state bordering Guatemala, estimated the caravan's size between 2,500 and 3,000, predominantly composed of Venezuelans.
Recent policy changes by the Biden administration, which implemented a rule in early June prohibiting migrants caught crossing the U.S.-Mexico border illegally from applying for asylum, have not deterred thousands from making the perilous journey. Despite the crackdown, migrants continue to seek asylum in the United States, driven by a desire to escape insecurity, poverty, and other hardships in their home countries.
Jose Maria Garcia, director of the Juventud 2000 migrant shelter in Tijuana, expressed uncertainty about the caravans' final destinations but acknowledged the significant influence of the upcoming U.S. elections. "The migrant community is very confused," he said, reflecting the broader uncertainty about future U.S. immigration policy.
In a related development, hundreds of migrants from around a dozen countries set out on foot from Mexico's southern border on Sunday, aiming to reach the U.S. border before the November elections. Miguel Salazar, a migrant from El Salvador, voiced concerns about the potential impact of a Donald Trump victory, fearing a stricter border policy that could block permits and halt the CBP One appointments crucial for legal entry.
The group departed from Ciudad Hidalgo, a southern Mexican town near the border with Guatemala. Many had waited in the town for weeks, hoping for permits to travel further north. Organized caravans have become a strategic choice for migrants in recent years, offering protection against gang attacks and Mexican immigration officials. However, these caravans often disband in southern Mexico as the grueling journey takes its toll.
Mexico has also tightened measures to impede migrants from reaching the U.S. border via buses and trains. Travel permits are seldom granted to those without visas, and thousands have been detained and sent back to southern towns. Oswaldo Reyna, a 55-year-old Cuban migrant, criticized Trump's remarks about migrants, asserting, "We are not delinquents. We are hard-working people who have left our country to get ahead in life, because in our homeland we are suffering from many needs."
