A large migrant caravan is heading to the United States, having left southern Mexico on foot on Sunday, hoping to cross the US border before November's presidential election. Reports suggest the caravan consists of more than 3,000 people, with more expected to grow.
The caravan includes people from about a dozen countries, but the majority are Venezuelan, and local authorities in Mexico have observed “a significant increase in the number of children in recent caravans,” according to Reuters.
Concerns over stricter U.S. immigration policies
The growing possibility that Donald Trump will return to the presidency has heightened a sense of urgency for many migrants. Trump has repeatedly promised to close the border to asylum seekers, a prospect that has many in the caravan feeling anxious. According to the Associated Press,
“We're running the risk of not being allowed to cross the border,” said Miguel Salazar, a migrant from El Salvador who worries the Trump administration might stop allowing migrants to be interviewed through CBP One, the app that asylum seekers use to legally enter the US. Asylum seekers are interviewed at US border stations, where they present their claims to officials.
CBP One is a mobile application launched by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in October 2020 to streamline the entry process into the United States for a variety of users, including asylum seekers. The app allows asylum seekers to make appointments at U.S. border entry points upon arrival at specific locations, such as Mexico City and northern Mexican states. This geofencing ensures that users are within an appropriate distance from the border, aiming to reduce wait times and prevent overcrowding at entry points. Among other features, the app includes identity verification to ensure that the individual making the appointment is the same person who shows up at the border.
caravan
According to Real America's Voice, the migrants made it clear that their goal was not to remain in Mexico, but to reach the United States.
The migrants also praised President Joe Biden, saying he was “sent by God” and had their full support, while slamming President Donald Trump as “evil and cruel.”
According to a Fox News report, caravan participants were heard chanting “We don't want Donald Trump.”
“All of these illegal immigrants should be detained, denied entry or deported, without exception,” Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) wrote on X, urging Congress to pass HR2, the Border Security Act of 2023, which aims to significantly tighten US immigration laws and increase border security.
Virginia congressional candidate Hun Kao placed the blame for another caravan heading toward the US on “border minister” Kamala Harris, who has only visited the US-Mexico border once.
Mexico's position
Various reports have said migrants passing through Mexico are organizing into larger groups to reduce the risk of gang attacks or detention by Mexican immigration authorities.
Recently, Mexican authorities have tightened rules regarding migrant travel permits, making it increasingly difficult for migrants to pass through Mexico. The changes are in response to a request from the Biden administration and are aimed at managing the large influx of migrants heading to the US border. One of the key measures is the suspension of special humanitarian permits that previously allowed migrants to move freely through Mexico. Without these permits, migrants cannot use public transportation and drivers who provide rides to undocumented migrants are fined. In April 2024, migrants complained that it was “increasingly difficult” to pass through Mexico.
But Mexico's support for the current caravan remains unclear: Migrants without visas are rarely given permission to travel, and many are detained and sent back south, although in the past the government has provided migrants with police protection, shelter, food and water.
As the current caravan progresses, other migrants are expected to join and the caravan's numbers are expected to grow.
President Trump's immigration policy
During President Donald Trump's term in office, his administration implemented a series of strict policies aimed at reducing both legal and illegal immigration. One of the most prominent initiatives was the construction of a wall along the US-Mexico border, intended to be a “smart” digital wall to further deter illegal border crossings. In parallel, the administration significantly increased the activities of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), focusing on the detention and deportation of illegal immigrants.
The administration also took a hardline stance on asylum and refugee policies, including “zero tolerance” and “remain in Mexico” measures, and implemented the “welfare” rule, making it more difficult for immigrants likely to rely on welfare to obtain green cards.
However, once Joe Biden took office, his administration quickly moved to repeal the immigration policies implemented by his predecessor.
Speaking at the Republican National Convention last week, President Trump reiterated his commitment to “stop the invasion” at the country's southern border.
Trump's running mate, Senator J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), said at the party convention that the new administration is willing to stop the influx of illegal immigrants and to deport the most dangerous of the 11 million people who have crossed the border under Biden's open border policy.
Biden's struggles
Amid strong backlash, in early June 2024, President Biden issued a proclamation to strengthen border security, requiring that foreign nationals be denied entry at the border if the seven-day average of border crossings between ports of entry exceeds 2,500. According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), this measure reduced encounters with illegal immigrants by 40 percent within three weeks.
But “encounters remain at crisis levels,” former Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf wrote in a post, citing CBP data from June.
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