The caravan of at least 1,500 people, mainly from Central and South America and including a large number of young children, began marching from the city of Tapachula near the Guatemalan border, where thousands of migrants were stranded after being stopped by Mexican authorities.
It is estimated that to reach the United States at the nearest crossing point at Matamoros from Tapachula, an adult would have to walk nearly 1,600 km continuously in about 16 days.
Migrants fear that after taking office, President-elect Donald Trump could implement a series of measures to deport immigrants and end legal immigration policies.
During his 2024 campaign, Trump pledged to close the southern border and announced the largest deportation campaign in U.S. history. He also pledged to end the Biden administration’s amnesty program that allows migrants to enter the country through new “legal pathways.”
“It’s going to be harder, that’s why we hope to get an appointment quickly so we can cross before Trump takes office,” said Yotzeli Peña, 23, one of many migrants from Venezuela, AP reported.
Such caravans began forming in 2018, mostly made up of poor migrants who could not afford expensive broker fees.
Those attempting to cross Mexico alone or in small groups are often arrested and sent back to southern Mexico or deported to their home countries.
These caravans make it more difficult for Mexican officials to round up hundreds of people at once. It is unclear how the caravan plans to cross the border.
