A new migrant caravan is preparing to leave southern Mexico this weekend, headed for Mexico City with the ultimate goal of reaching the US border, where most of the migrants are expected to apply for asylum or some other form of protected status.
According to information provided to Breitbart Texas by an official at Mexico’s National Migration Institute (INM), the caravan is scheduled to leave at 6 a.m. Sunday from the banks of the Suchiate River in Chiapas, which marks Mexico’s southern border with Guatemala.
It is unclear how many migrants are expected to take part, but estimates range from a few hundred to more than 1,500. More migrants are expected to join the caravan along the route.
It’s unclear whether Mexican government agencies will continue to provide police protection. Breitbart Texas reports that government authorities were providing migrants on the march with lodging, food, and drink for the duration of their journey..
Mexican authorities have yet to release details about the caravan, but it is expected to follow a pattern used by previous caravans: hundreds of migrants will march north from Chiapas and reach Mexico City after several days, where the caravan will largely disperse as the migrants find different ways to reach the border.
The new caravan comes at a time when illegal immigration and abuse of the asylum system have become one of the biggest issues in the current presidential campaign.
Breitbart Texas reported that the Mexican government has recently cracked down on migrants heading north as part of an agreement with the Biden administration. As part of this crackdown, INM officials have stepped up efforts to apprehend and turn back migrants before they reach the U.S. border. However, despite these efforts, cartel-linked human smuggling organizations continue to make profits from smuggling.
