Mexican Police Stand Down, Allow 7,200-Strong Caravan To Continue
Luke Rohlfing
|
The illegal migrant caravan crossing through Mexico has swelled to over 7,200 people in recent days. Currently, the arrival trajectory is in around 2 weeks, with election day, November 6th, seeming to be a possibility.
In response, President Donald Trump is threatening to use military force on the border, and has announced he is cutting aid to the Central American countries whose citizens make up the caravan.
It is these threats from Trump that is encouraging Mexico to act, which they have done in a way.
Immigration police commissioner Francisco Echeverria told reporters they planned to channel the people to Tapachula, where they would be issued permits to remain in the country.
But those offers aren’t going anywhere, as the migrants are set on entering the U.S., not staying in Mexico.
The only way to change the trajectory of the caravan at this point is through police force. But as reported by Buzzfeed News, the police in Mexico have continually stood down, writing:
It was an unprecedented day in the annals of Central American migration as a stream of people took over the highway linking Ciudad Hidalgo with Tapachula. They filled one side of the highway, linking arms to form human chains as organizers in the group shouted for people to stay on the right side of the yellow dividing line.
A large contingent of federal police at one point had descended on the highway, but packed up and retreated as the caravan advanced, only to reassemble hours later farther up the highway. More than a dozen buses carrying uniformed men and women parked on the side of the highway, a police helicopter circled low over the marchers, and a police patrol car drove past the caravan. But there was no effort to stop the marchers’ forward progress.
So with Mexican Police standing down, it will likely come down to U.S. authorities having to deal with them in the event they try to illegally cross the border into the U.S.
Share: