Immigrants Marching from Guatemala to Mexico City
A group of about 1,200 immigrants has started a long journey from the tropical border of Mexico with Guatemala, aiming to reach the Mexican capital. They’ve stated that they have received asylum in Mexico City and want to clarify that they are not planning to go to the United States.
According to a report from Agencia Efe, a prominent Spanish news agency, this group includes many individuals from Cuba, Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, Venezuela, and Haiti. The report mentions that they are seeking better job prospects than what they currently find in Chiapas, the state where they are currently located.
Yovani de Jesus, a Venezuelan who left the border city of Tapachula, shared her experiences with Efe. Yovani has lived in Mexico for over seven months and still lacks legal status. She expressed concerns that the Mexican refugee agency, known as Komaa, has not taken adequate steps to fulfill her request for refugee status.
Without the necessary legal documentation, Yovani feels trapped. She cannot work in factories or stores and is ineligible for social security benefits from the Mexican government. This lack of legal status often opens the door for employers to exploit immigrants.
Furthermore, the situation surrounding illegal immigration in Mexico has heightened vulnerabilities, exposing immigrants to violence, scams, and limited access to health services.
Many are now avoiding border cities like Tijuana and Tapachula, favoring Mexico City as their destination instead of following the usual routes leading to various spots in the US.
Shortly after taking office, President Trump aimed to eliminate programs like CBP-One, which permitted 1,400 migrants to enter the US illegally each day at land ports to seek asylum. Additionally, the Biden administration’s parole program for immigrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela has also been terminated.
Breitbart Texas noted that Trump’s stringent border policies, coupled with an increase in internal deportations by ICE and other federal agencies, significantly decreased illegal border crossings to record low levels unseen since 1970.
Historical patrol records indicate that 201,780 illegal immigrants were apprehended at the southwest border in 1970, with that number rising to 263,991 in 1971. This year has seen a significant drop in arrests compared to those years due to the policies of the Trump administration, as reported by DHS.
According to CBP, the agency has completed a four-month period concluding in September, during which no illegal immigrants were released into the US to pursue asylum claims. This contrasts sharply with the Biden administration, which had allowed thousands of daily releases. As long as strict border enforcement continues, it seems that immigrant caravans may opt to stay farther from the US-Mexico border.
