A group of 2,000 migrants in southern Mexico depart for the US weeks before election — worried about potential new administration
A caravan of about 2,000 migrants is racing across Mexico toward the US border in the hopes of getting into the country ahead of the looming election, as fears that the election of former President Donald Trump could halt crossings completely.
The caravan departed from Tapachula — one of Mexico’s southernmost cities on the border with Guatemala – on Sunday, and began the nearly 2,000-mile trek to the US with men, women, and children from across Latin America.
Many of the migrants fear that whomever is voted into the White House on November 5 could end the asylum program completely. As a result, they believe that the next few months until a new president is sworn in on Jan. 20 will be the last chance to cross the border.
“That is what makes us fearful. They say this could change because they could both close the CBP One appointment and all the services that are helping migrants,” said Venezuelan Joel Zambrano, referring to Border Patrol’s online platform which allows migrants to quickly apply for asylum and enter the country.
In the last two years, roughly 1.3 million migrants have made it into the US using the likes of Biden’s CBP One app and other legal avenues under the Biden-Harris administration.
More than 8 million have sneaked in or been released into the US after crossing the border illegally.
Former president Donald Trump has vowed that getting the border under control will be his “first priority” if he wins the election, promising to deport millions of migrants who have illegally entered the country.
Vice President Kamala Harris – who has been more vague about her intentions with the border should she win the election – has even begun to use stronger language about the need for border security.
“I will do more to secure our border, to reduce illegal border crossings,” Harris said during her first visit to the border as the Democratic presidential nominee. “I will take further action to keep the border closed between ports of entry.”
If elected, she promised to expand on a June executive order from Biden that bars migrants who enter the country illegally from applying for asylum.
Sunday’s caravan is just the latest to start its way across Mexico in recent weeks, but also the largest in recent days.
Earlier in October caravans of 800 and 600 migrants each started toward the US border.
“The situation in my country is very bad, the president doesn’t do anything for us,” said Honduran Roberto Domínguez, 48, who is preparing to leave Tapachula for America as soon as he can.
With Post wires.
