Immigrant Caravans growing strong

Nov. 7, 2018 por Isolda Barrera

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With growing amounts of South American immigrants coming through the borders of Mexico, both Mexican and US governments are at stand still at what actions to take next.

Both Mexican and American citizens are worried at the growing numbers of immigrants coming from countries such as Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Haiti. Migrants crossing through Mexico to reach the United States are not something new but to be seen in this quantity and with this force is a first.

With both countries taking different positions on the matter, one of the biggest concern for both is that they are left with an unspecified mode of action to take. The Mexican government has offered the immigrants crossing through various points of the nation, shelter, food, and even a legal mean to stay in the country but they have refused the help of the Mexican government.

The United States has taken a stricter stance on the matter, as troops have been deployed to various points of the border to ready themselves for the arrival of the oncoming caravans, even though their arrival is not foreseen until the end of the year.

And it hasn’t been an easy trip for the migrants either. Women, children and men alike are all making the trip through harsh weathers and conditions, rough terrains, lack of food and dangerous territories. Risking their lives looking for something better than what they left behind. Many come from countries destroyed by civil wars, organized crimes, natural disasters and more.

And their journey is far from over, some have even taken the path of traveling on “The Beast”, a freight train that travels through Mexico to the US border and has become a common means to get to the USA, but also a very dangerous and sometimes even deadly as these illegal passengers’ travel atop the deadly machine.

Their estimated arrival time to the borders have been set during the end of this year, and both governments are preparing for the day when unknown action will be taken. Caravans have been seen through towns like Cordoba, Veracruz, Matias Romero, Oaxaca, Ciudad Hidalgo, Chiapas, and Huixtla, Chiapas to name a few. The caravans are still heading north with no sign of stopping and with troops having already been deployed to protect the border from the incoming “intruders”, we can only be left to wait and see what will happen.

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