Thursday, 19th September 2024

Migrant caravan reaches Mexican borders

Migrants of Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala make their way towards Mexico seeking entry in US

Saturday, 20th October 2018

A large number of people from Central American countries -Honduras, El Salvador and the Guatemala make their way towards the Mexico seeking entry in the United States.

The caravan that is now at the Mexico border is composed of several thousand Honduran migrants who are seeking to escape violence and poverty in their home country. Mexican officials said earlier on Friday that the caravan was composed of some 4,000 people and each could present their claims to enter the country with refugee status.

“We haven’t had a caravan or group of this size seeking refuge at the same time, that’s why we’ve sought the support of the United Nations,” official said on Mexican television.

The Mexican government is taking a different tact with this caravan than a similar one that made its way north earlier this year, similarly drawing anger from Mr Trump.

Mexico's government also released a statement outlining how it planned to respond:

  • Anyone with a valid visa will be able to enter and move freely.
  • Anyone who wants to be recognized as a refugee or as a beneficiary of "complementary protection measures" must do so individually. Those who do so will be held "at a migratory station" for up to 45 business days.
  • Anyone who enters "in an irregular manner" will be "rescued and subject to an administrative procedure and, where appropriate, will be returned to their country of origin in a safe and orderly manner."

In response to the advancing caravan, Trump has threatened to instruct the US military to “CLOSE THE SOUTHERN BORDER”, and said that he would cut aid to Central American countries where the migrants are arriving from.

Trump thanked mexico for holding illegal migrants to enter the US and blamed the democrats for the current situation. Immigration is seen as the most important issue by the 15% of the American voters.

The migrants mostly from the Honduras say they are fleeing violence and poverty. The caravan includes women and children.

The UN reports that in 2015, murders stood at 63.75 in Honduras and 108.64 in El Salvador per 100,000 deaths marking it as countries with one of the largest murder rates in the world.

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