Thousands of southern Mexican migrants march toward U.S. border
Illustrative photo (Photo: Getty Images)
Thousands of migrants have set out on foot from the southern part of Mexico, aiming to reach the border with the United States of America, reports BBC.
Thousands of migrants, primarily from South and Central America, including thousands of children, have set out just days before U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is scheduled to discuss ways to limit mass migration with Mexican President López Obrador. Several border crossings have recently been closed due to the influx of migrants.
White House National Security representative John Kirby has stated that U.S. President Joe Biden and his Mexican counterpart, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, share concerns about the sharp increase in the number of migrants crossing their shared border.
The number of individuals detained at the U.S. southern border has surpassed two million in both the 2022 and 2023 fiscal years.
Origin of migrants heading toward the U.S.
Local media reported that most migrants were from Cuba, Haiti, and Honduras, with some even arriving from Bangladesh and India.
Many said they decided to join the caravan after waiting for transit permits for several months. On the first morning, migrants covered about 15 kilometers, setting off at dawn on December 24th. One migrant from Honduras mentioned leaving his native country to escape a criminal group that threatened to kill him.
According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, in September 2023 alone, the Border Patrol apprehended over 200,000 migrants who illegally crossed the U.S.-Mexico border.
Connection between migrants and U.S. aid to Ukraine
U.S. President Joe Biden proposed allocating $106 billion to Congress. Most of these funds (around $60 billion) are intended for aid to Ukraine, with some also designated for Israel and Taiwan.
Republican senators in the U.S. Congress refused to support the initiative, demanding that the White House propose more stringent measures to protect the U.S.-Mexico border.
Recently, Bloomberg reported that President Joe Biden proposed changes to U.S. border policies, which enhanced the prospects of bipartisan agreement regarding aid to Ukraine.
