US Migrant Crisis: 8,000 to 15,000 Asylum Seekers Headed to US-Mexico Border
Thousands of US migrants in a caravan persist in their journey through southern Mexico. Some express pessimism about an upcoming meeting between American and Mexican officials regarding the migrant surge at the US-Mexico border, anticipating unfavorable outcomes. STR/AFP via Getty Images

With the current US migrant crisis, the country is witnessing the largest caravan in over a year, with over 730,000 asylum seekers encountered at the southern border since October, per the NY Post.

The massive group, consisting mainly of individuals from Cuba, Haiti, and Honduras, embarked on their journey on Sunday, covering over nine miles from Tapachula to Alvaro Obregón, a Mexican southern border city.

Approximately 8,000 asylum seekers are currently en route, making it the largest caravan to approach the US-Mexico border since June 2022.

Accompanying the group, migrant rights activist Luis Garcia Villagran has cautioned that the caravan's numbers could surge to 15,000, carrying signs that read "Exodus from poverty" by the time they reach the US-Mexico border.

"We won't stop - we'll keep walking,'' he affirmed.

Diplomatic Meeting To Address US Migrant Crisis

On Wednesday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Homeland Security Chief Alejandro Mayorkas are set to visit Mexico to meet with Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, Reuters reports.

The meeting aims to discuss the US migrant crisis in the Western Hemisphere and identify ways Mexico and the United States will address this US-Mexico border problem, according to State Department spokesman Matthew Miller.

This diplomatic engagement follows a recent telephone conversation between US President Joe Biden and President Lopez Obrador, during which both leaders acknowledged the need for enhanced enforcement at their shared frontier.

As US migrants and asylum seekers, some with small children, continue their journey near the southern Mexican city of Villa Comaltitlán, Rosa from El Salvador expressed hope that officials would alleviate the suffering of migrants.

She emphasized the collective pursuit of a better life for families amid challenges like violence, economic distress, and climate change.

Villagran criticized the meeting, suggesting that officials' primary concerns are domestic electoral issues.

He argued that increased enforcement efforts to prevent migrants from reaching the US-Mexico border would disproportionately impact the most vulnerable.

US Migrant Caravan's Origin and Motivations

Originating from Tapachula on Christmas Eve, the US migrant caravan comprises individuals from various countries, predominantly Cuba, Haiti, and Honduras, with some traveling from as far as Bangladesh and India.

Many joined the caravan after waiting for months for transit permits, viewing the mass trek north as a last resort, BBC noted.

Villagran highlighted the urgency for these US migrants, citing the daily influx of 800 to 1,000 people crossing the southern border with Guatemala.

Fearing the collapse of Tapachula, he emphasized that taking the coastal highway and walking became the only viable option.

José Santos, a Honduran migrant, shared his motive for leaving his home country, citing threats from a criminal gang.

"I was scared, so I decided to come to Mexico, hoping I'd be allowed to go to the US," he revealed.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, expressing a willingness to collaborate with the US, is scheduled to meet with Secretary of State Blinken.

The US migrant crisis remains a pressing political topic in the US, prompting calls for President Biden to address the challenges at the southern border.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Bert Hoover

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