Migrants Caravan: Hundreds Of Asylum Seekers Reach The US Border

Thousands of Latin Americans have been on their way to the United States for weeks. Now hundreds of them have reached the US border. But will they receive asylum?

Several hundred migrants from Central America have reached the border town of Tijuana on their way to the United States. The 357 people arrived on Tuesday in nine buses in northwestern Mexico. On the US side of the border is the city of San Diego, California.

They are of course very happy to be just one step away from entering the US, said José Alfredi Mejía Márquez from Honduras to the German Press Agency. They set off a month ago with the so-called migrant caravan in the Honduran town of San Pedro Sula. The migrants flee from violence by youth gangs and the poor economic situation in the region.

Thousands of people on the way
Still the majority of the people, however, are still about 2,400 kilometers further south in the Mexican city of Guadalajara. The so-called caravan consists of around 5,000 people from Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador. Their final destination is the USA, the caravan is divided into smaller groups.

When the majority of Tijuana could reach, was not clear, however a second group of migrants, consisting of around 1,200 people, was located in a sports stadium in Mexico City and the third group of some 2,000 people was heading north in the southern state of Veracruz.

No asylum for illegal immigrants
President Donald Trump tightened regulations on asylum procedures in the southern US border last week. The Republican ruled that migrants crossing the US border illegally should be denied asylum. In principle, the procedures would only be possible at official border crossings. The move is highly controversial, even everal organizations had previously announced resistance in court.

Migrants to US southern border
- Trump wants to change asylum rules by decree.
- President Trump wants to build tent cities.
- Migrants are heading for the US while Trump is sending troops.

US President Donald Trump had massively campaigned for the congressional elections on Tuesday last week with the topic of illegal migration. He made use of a seditious rhetoric and heavily overstated the situation. After the election, he barely commented on the migrants.

Francis Tawiah (Duisburg - Germany)