Around 1,500 migrants, primarily from Central and South America, have formed a caravan in Tapachula, southern Mexico, aiming to reach the United States before Donald Trump's January 20 inauguration, anticipating heightened enforcement measures.
Tapachula, near the Guatemalan border, has become a bottleneck where thousands of migrants are stranded due to limited permissions to travel further into Mexico. While some plan to walk the over 1,100-mile journey to the nearest U.S. border crossing at Matamoros, Texas, others seek rides to ease the grueling journey, the Associated Press reports.
The caravan's participants include families traveling with children, facing risks such as dehydration and exhaustion in the region's searing heat. Yotzeli Peña, a 23-year-old Venezuelan migrant, explained to AP that many hope to secure appointments for asylum before Trump takes office. "It is going to be more difficult," Peña said.
The U.S. government recently expanded access to the CBP One mobile app to southern Mexico, allowing migrants to schedule appointments for asylum claims. This measure aims to prevent surges at border crossings. However, some migrants prefer to move closer to the U.S. border to minimize delays once an appointment is secured.
Trump has promised to dismantle this system, labeling it "a phone app for smuggling illegals" and stoking fears in migrants, even those that already have appointments scheduled.
While border encounters have decreased significantly since mid-2023, concerns persist that the change in administrations may trigger a new wave of crossings. In fact, reports have revealed that sources inside Homeland Security have expressed worry about the department's capacity to handle such an influx.
