Advertisement

Updated September 6th, 2021 at 07:55 IST

Mexico blocks US-bound caravan carrying 400 migrants; children stranded as parents flee

A US-bound caravan carrying migrants was blocked by Mexican officials at the southern town of Huixtla. This is the second such incident in less than a week

Reported by: Dipaneeta Das
Mexico
Image: AP/Representative | Image:self
Advertisement

Mexican border security and migration officials blocked a US-bound migrant caravan carrying about 400 asylum seekers in the southern town of Hiuxtla on Sunday. As per reports, border officials detained the refugees and sought to break up the group just a day after the outbound vehicle set off. The passengers in the caravan mostly comprised of Central Americans, Haitians, and Venezuelans.

The massive group had left from the southern city of Tapachula and trekked northwards when the Mexican National Guard troops stopped the vehicle. The incident comes less than a week after the Mexican border guards stopped another large group attempting to thwart the border. It should be mentioned that a US policy forcing asylum seekers to remain in Mexico till their applications are processed has led to one of the worst migrant crises at the US-Mexico border.

On Sunday, as the Mexican officials surrounded the caravan, several members of the group fled. According to reports, children were separated from parents as officials tried to locate people who ran off along the banks of the River Huixtla.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador informed that the migrant movement towards the north of Mexico has displayed a steep surge in quantity recently. On Thursday, about 50 refugees were arrested by Mexican forces in Escuintla. On the same day about 300 others escaped the capture, Mexican News Daily reported.

On Wednesday, President Obrador, during his third state address, refuted claims of human rights violation in reference to the migrant crisis. However, he mentioned that he would not deny the brutal attack on Haitians by Mexican border guards. “The exceptional case from days ago, in which two immigration officials kicked a Haitian citizen, was attended to that same day and they were relieved of their duties and turned over to the corresponding internal control organ,” he said.

Mexicans wait for transit documents

Desperation among Mexicans has escalated in the past few weeks as they awaited the clearance of transit documents by immigration authorities. The delay in border clearance comes as a result of an overwhelming situation at Mexico's refugee agency, which handles the applications, AP reported. So far, over 77,000 have applied for 'protected status' in Mexico, 55,000 in Tapachula, and 19,000 in Haiti. To stem the sudden momentum in the migrant movement the Mexican government has deployed over 14,000 troopers in the south and northern borders.

The US revives 'Remain in Mexico' policy

Meanwhile, in a major verdict, the US Supreme Court has allowed the revival of former president Donald Trump's "Remain in Mexico" immigration policy. On Monday, the apex court ruled against the Joe Biden administration's request that asked to put a stay order on the revival of the policy.

The "Remain in Mexico" policy, officially known as the Migrant Protection Protocol (MPP), was formulated by the Trump administration in 2018. Under the policy, non-Mexican asylum seekers have to remain in Mexico while they wait for their US immigration court dates.

"MPP had been rescinded for 2.5 months, and suspended for 8 months, and largely dormant for nearly 16 months," the Biden administration had said.

The policy was suspended for the first few months after Biden took his office and was later formally terminated, CNN reported.  Following the official termination, Republican-run states of Texas and Missouri had challenged the White House decision. A petition was filed with the Supreme Court that called the programme "arbitrary" and "capricious." On Monday, the defendant failed to provide ample arguments that supported the claims made in the previous petition, which prompted the Supreme Court to reject the appeal to put a halt on the "controversial policy," CNN reported.

(With inputs from AP, Image: AP)

Advertisement

Published September 6th, 2021 at 07:55 IST

Your Voice. Now Direct.

Send us your views, we’ll publish them. This section is moderated.

Advertisement
Advertisement

Trending Quicks

Tuo Chiang class corvettes
a few seconds ago
Elon Musk X lawsuit
2 minutes ago
Government bonds
2 minutes ago
Supriya Shrinate clarification
10 minutes ago
vk saxena
14 minutes ago
Shahjahan Sheikh in CBI Custody: First Visual Emerges | WATCH
14 minutes ago
Pakistan Supreme Court
16 minutes ago
AR Rahman, Ram Charan
18 minutes ago
File Photo of PM Narendra Modi
20 minutes ago
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Whatsapp logo