A new caravan of around 3,000 migrants has begun its journey north toward the U.
S. on Election Day, with Border Patrol officials calling it a last-ditch effort to cross the border while President Biden is still in office. The caravan, which left Tapachula, Mexico, just 50 miles from the Guatemalan border, was seen moving through southern Mexico on Tuesday. Photos from the scene show a mix of men, women, and children embarking on the challenging 2,000-mile trek to the U.S.
According to a U.S. Border Patrol source, the agency was prepared for a new wave of migration linked to the election. “If Trump wins, they’re going to try to get here before he takes office,” the source said. “It’s one last ‘screw you’ to America.” Another source noted that many migrants want to get in before “orange bad man” (a reference to Trump) potentially regains power.
As of now, it’s unclear whether former President Donald Trump or Vice President Kamala Harris will win the election. Many migrants fear that if Trump is re-elected, he will end America’s asylum program entirely, which has fueled their rush to cross the border. Trump has made reducing illegal immigration one of his primary campaign promises, pledging to strengthen border security and deport millions of undocumented immigrants.
Even if Trump loses, migrants are uncertain about the future, as Harris has also emphasized the need to bolster border security during the final stretch of her campaign.
Members of this caravan have expressed concerns about the dangerous journey ahead but find comfort in the size of the group, which provides some protection from Mexico’s criminal cartels. According to estimates by the House Committee on Homeland Security, by the time Biden leaves office in January, more than 10 million migrants will have been apprehended crossing the border illegally.
Last year, the end of Trump-era policies like Title 42 led to a surge of over 1 million migrants attempting to enter the U.S. in just a few months.