3K Migrants Depart From Mexico, Fearing Trump Border Closure

Migrants fear a Trump win in November could lead to the border being shut
By Newser.AI Read our AI policy
Posted Jul 25, 2024 10:08 AM CDT
3K Migrants Depart From Mexico, Fearing Trump Border Closure
Migrants walk along the highway through Suchiate, Chiapas state in southern Mexico, Sunday, July 21, 2024, during their journey north toward the U.S. border.   (AP Photo/Edgar H. Clemente)

About 3,000 migrants from a dozen countries departed from Mexico's southern border Sunday, aiming to reach the US by foot before the November elections. Concern is high that if Donald Trump wins, he may close the border to asylum seekers, stated Miguel Salazar, a migrant from El Salvador. Salazar voiced fears that a new Trump administration could halt the use of the CBP One app, which currently allows migrants to gain appointments for entry into the US.

The caravan left Ciudad Hidalgo, near Mexico's border with Guatemala. Migrants had waited weeks in Ciudad Hidalgo for travel permits to head further north. Organized large groups have become common to mitigate risks, though they often break up in southern Mexico. The Mexican government has also complicated travel by limiting access to buses and trains, rarely awarding permits to migrants without visas.

Mexico has detained thousands at central and northern checkpoints, sending them back to southern towns. Oswaldo Reyna, a 55-year-old Cuban migrant, had waited 45 days to join the caravan. He criticized Trump's remarks, saying, "We are not delinquents. We are hard working people who have left our country to get ahead in life."

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The caravan forms part of a broader strategy by migrants to safeguard against gang attacks and avoid Mexican immigration officials. However, the journey remains grueling, with many falling off due to exhaustion. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)

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