A caravan of several thousand people is moving through Mexico on its way north to the U.S. border. On Saturday they forced their way through a barricade formed by Mexican law enforcement, continuing on with their march.
You can see the members of Mexican law enforcement as they prepare to meet the caravan, dressed in protective gear and carrying riot shields.
MX: The caravan is arriving— law enforcement is mobilizing to meet them. #BorderCrisis pic.twitter.com/BzWx79JW5O
— Ali Bradley (@AliBradleyTV) October 23, 2021
The caravan just pushed their way through the barricade and kept walking.
BREAKING: Migrant Caravan in Mexico encounters Mexico’s @INAMI_mx forces… #BorderCrisis pic.twitter.com/8RnFir1j7x
— Griff Jenkins (@GriffJenkins) October 23, 2021
This caravan came up through Central America to southern Mexico and is continuing north. They left from Tapachula, Mexico, on the border with Guatemala. Organizers said the number of those in the caravan is about 2,000 but that number continues to grow. It is now estimated that the number has grown to 5,000.
The caravan continues to grow— Now at 5,000+ as migrants make their way north from Tapachula towards the U.S. border. I’m told it will take them roughly 18 days to get there. #BorderCrisis pic.twitter.com/HGFLnccnyU
— Ali Bradley (@AliBradleyTV) October 23, 2021
This is a well-organized effort. It is being reported that the migrants had to register with a QR code on their phones or a web link to participate. They learn about the caravan through social media. One organizer blames the Mexican government for not welcoming the migrants and providing a way for them to stay in Mexico. He says many don’t want to go to the United States but Mexico won’t provide paperwork that would allow them to stay and find work.
“Money is not going to solve the problem, throwing it to governments like Mexico where they put people from the south border to the north border is not the solution,” organizer Irineo Mujica said. “They should give them papers here, they should give them the opportunity to work here.”
“Because a lot of them don’t want to go to the U.S., but the Biden administration, with this administration, it’s like pulling them like cattle,” he said.
The migrants are from Haiti, South America, and Central America, as well as West Africa. Some carry the American flag with no stars which they say means “America is for everyone.”
Migrants tell us the American flag with no stars means “America is for everyone” — they say the flag symbolizes freedom and liberty. The signs on the ground read, “we come in peace” “No blood” and “Joe Biden is for all” #BorderCrisis pic.twitter.com/nDFMVl0O0S
— Ali Bradley (@AliBradleyTV) October 23, 2021
The goal is to get to Mexico City and then continue on to the northern border. The estimated time of arrival at the U.S. border is 18 days.
This walk is far from easy— these kids in this migrant caravan are visibly exhausted and they have really only just begun. They will be walking for weeks to get to Mexico City then the U.S. border. #BorderCrisis pic.twitter.com/nQhajuI73P
— Ali Bradley (@AliBradleyTV) October 23, 2021
Some complained about the treatment they received in Mexico. They aren’t worried about being sent back to wherever they came from, either. They know the Biden administration will likely allow them to stay.
MX Migrant Caravan: A man from Nigeria tells me they felt like they were prisoners in Tapachula. He says he wants to come to the U.S. because Mexico didn't take care of them #BorderCrisis pic.twitter.com/O1B7dJowL4
— Ali Bradley (@AliBradleyTV) October 24, 2021
X Migrant Caravan: This young man from Honduras is 16 and tells me he left his mom and little brother so he could go to the U.S. and work. He says he isn't worried about being sent back because he has a lot of faith #BorderCrisis pic.twitter.com/4sYqTaWrxD
— Ali Bradley (@AliBradleyTV) October 24, 2021
The caravan began walking on foot on Saturday from Tapachula. This is a new caravan, not one we are being warned of on its way through Panama.
One of the caravan’s organizers, Irineo Mujica, said he was leading the group to Mexico City in protest of the lack of government assistance in the south, where officials have attempted to contain thousands of migrants and to demand legal documents that would let migrants move freely in the country.
Some migrants who attempted to leave Tapachula in September to head north were subject to brutal treatment by Mexican officials, and the government’s National Migration Institute condemned incidents of violence captured on video.
How is that “Don’t come now. Don’t come.” working, Kamala? The administration knows that things are not getting better and they are being warned that it’s about to get worse. Are they taking the warnings seriously and preparing for another situation like the one that happened in Del Rio, Texas with thousands of migrants being sheltered under a bridge? No one who has been following the Biden border crisis should think that anything will change. Biden clearly has no plan to shut the southern border. On Friday afternoon the CBP numbers were quietly released in a news dump. The numbers of apprehensions are at a level that has never been seen before. The leaders of the caravan say people are rushing to come now before the Remain-in-Mexico is fully reinstated in November. The Biden administration is being forced to put it back into effect after they lost legal challenges to stop the policy. We don’t yet know if Mexican officials will cooperate, as they stopped cooperating when Biden came into office. The Trump administration put the agreement together with Mexican officials. Once Biden came into office, he made a big show of stopping the previous administration’s policies and programs that worked well to stop the flood of illegal migration.
Some in the caravan have been expelled from the U.S. border and are returning for another try at gaining entrance. There is no fear of punishment.
MX Migrant Caravan: Victor is from El Salvador and tells me he has already been deported once from the U.S. He says he is hoping for a pardon to be able to live and work "in the land of freedom." pic.twitter.com/vBAVJOlT3Y
— Ali Bradley (@AliBradleyTV) October 24, 2021
One of the leaders of the caravan admits that if Trump was still in office, things would be different. He essentially says that the migrants know that Biden is feckless and sending mixed messages.
Prior to the departure, caravan organizer Irineo Mujica criticized U.S. immigration policy on interviews shared on social media.
“They’re just in denial of their own fault. They haven’t been able to handle immigration,” he said. “If I tell you the truth, I believe at least with Donald Trump we knew what we had. With Biden, we don’t know. He doesn’t seem to have a clue what to do with immigration because he says one thing and does another.”
The activist expressed disappointment that Biden hasn’t delivered on immigration reform promises. “I mean, it’s Donald Trump 2.0”
Immigration activist, Irineo Mujica says the current administration is in denial when it comes to the crisis at the border, “At least with Donald Trump, we knew what we had— with Biden, we don’t know.”
Goes on to call President @JoeBiden “Trump 2.0” #BorderCrisis pic.twitter.com/hKiDwWGJHf— Ali Bradley (@AliBradleyTV) October 23, 2021
Ouch. Donald Trump 2.0? Biden has done everything he can to prove he isn’t going to keep Trump policies on the pretense of humanitarianism. We know the Biden border crisis is not compassionate. It has created a humanitarian crisis as well as a public health crisis on the southern border. Biden is clueless on how to secure the border and the migrants are telling us that they know it.
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