Caravan of Cuban Migrants Heads to Mexico City
A group of 1,200 mostly Cuban migrants is making its way north from Tapachula, a city in southern Mexico, seeking better economic opportunities. Interestingly, their destination isn’t the U.S. border but rather Mexico City.
This shift in destination highlights a significant change in migration patterns, possibly influenced by the strict immigration policies implemented during Donald Trump’s presidency.
The caravan, which set off earlier this month, is expected to take a few weeks to reach Mexico City, where the migrants aim to find better-paying jobs compared to those available in the impoverished southern region.
Tapachula, situated in Chiapas, Mexico’s poorest state, has long struggled with the challenges posed by the ongoing migrant crisis along its border with Guatemala.
As reported by the Washington Office for Latin America, many migrants are utilizing social media to appeal to the Mexican government for assistance with asylum and proper documentation to settle in Mexico City.
Concerns surrounding corruption and extortion have surfaced, particularly for those seeking help with their migration processes, as noted by El País. This situation remains one of the main barriers facing Mexico’s Refugee Assistance Committee.
Interestingly, even with fears of financial exploitation during their migration, some migrants express a preference for staying in Mexico rather than heading to the United States under the current administration.
A Cuban woman traveling with her young daughter and teenage son shared her perspective, stating, “Why do I want to go to the United States? They hate us there.”
The drop in immigration to the U.S. during Trump’s second term has been notable, but the choice of many Cuban migrants not to pursue opportunities in America—despite established communities in states like Florida and New York—is quite significant.
However, whether this trend will last remains uncertain. Elaine Dezenski, senior director at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, mentioned that according to the International Organization for Migration, about 50% of surveyed migrants in mid-2025 viewed Mexico as a final destination, a rise from under 25% in late 2024. This increase suggests that tighter U.S. border enforcement is impacting migrants’ decisions.
Since Trump resumed his position, reports from Customs and Border Protection show a striking decline in encounters at the southern border. Earlier this year, the Migration Policy Institute pointed out that the rates of border encounters are now comparable to levels not seen since the 1960s.
Dezenski noted that while tighter controls on undocumented migration might be seen as beneficial for border security, there must be a serious examination of immigration’s role in a healthy economy.
Both Mexico and the U.S. currently face labor shortages in critical sectors. While unregulated immigration isn’t the solution, Dezenski argues that the absence of a balanced approach towards immigration hasn’t led to significant job growth in areas like agriculture, which heavily relies on immigrant labor.
“It’s essential,” she added, “to have in-depth discussions about the specific skills and labor our economy demands and how immigration contributes to our long-term economic vitality.”
