A significant wave of over 2,000 migrants left Mexico’s southern border on Sunday, embarking on a perilous journey north towards the United States. This mass exodus comes at a crucial juncture, just weeks before the US presidential election, where immigration continues to be a highly contentious issue. Recent polling by the Pew Research Center underscores the increasing importance of immigration for voters, with 61% citing it as a key issue, a 9% increase from the 2020 presidential election. This surge in migrants is driven by a complex interplay of factors.
Economic hardships in southern Mexico have exacerbated the situation. An influx of foreigners has led to scarce job opportunities, pushing many to seek a better life elsewhere. Furthermore, delays in US asylum appointments have created a sense of uncertainty and frustration among those seeking refuge. Migrants, like Venezuelan Joel Zambrano, believe a new administration in the US could bring about changes to the current asylum process, particularly regarding the online system called CBP One. “That is what makes us fearful. They say this could change because they could both close the CBP One appointment and all the services that are helping migrants,” he said.
Honduran Roberto Domínguez, 48, echoed the sentiment of desperation: “The situation in my country is very bad, the president doesn’t do anything for us. We spent a week by the border, but getting documents takes time,” he said. “The documents we get are only for us to be in Tapachula and we cannot leave the city.”
The group leaving Sunday marked the third and largest such migration wave since the beginning of the administration of new Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum. Despite assuming office, she has yet to implement any changes to the immigration policies established by her predecessor, Andrés Manuel López Obrador. Earlier in October, two other groups of migrants, numbering 800 and 600 respectively, left the region. Activist Luis García Villagrán estimates that roughly 40,000 migrants are currently stranded in southern Mexico, awaiting their chance to cross the border.
This latest wave of migrants highlights the ongoing challenges and complexities of migration, particularly in the context of the upcoming US election. The political landscape surrounding immigration remains volatile, with the potential for significant shifts in policy under a new administration. The fate of these migrants and their pursuit of a better life hinges on the outcome of the election and the subsequent actions of the US government.