Migrant Caravan Encounters conflict as it heads through Mexico

On October 19th, a migrant caravan broke through a Guatemalan border fence and reached Mexico. The caravan is made up of thousands of Honduran and Guatemalan migrants, with some seeking to live in Mexico, and others planning to head to the United States.

As the caravan reached the Guatemala-Mexico border, violence broke out. Police stationed near the territory were armed with riot shields and pepper spray. About 50 migrants got through the gates into Mexican territory before the police used pepper spray and tear gas on the crowd. The caravan fell back, and the gates were closed. An undetermined amount of police and migrants were injured in this clash.

Immigration agents eventually let groups of about ten to thirty enter through the gate to apply for refugee status, starting with women and children. Once they attained refugee status, they were permitted to stay at a shelter for the night. Some people returned to Guatemala to buy food, water, and other necessities.

Members of the caravan said that they left their country to seek a better life in the US. Christian, a Honduran migrant, told AP News, “I want to get to the States to contribute to that country, to do any kind of work, picking up garbage.”

After his meeting with Mexico’s President Enrique Pena Nieto and Foreign Relations Secretary Luis Videgaray, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stressed “the importance of stopping this flow before it reaches the U.S. border,” according to AP News.

In response to this news President Trump initiated Operation Faithful Patriot, which sent 15,000 troops to stand guard at the border between the US and Mexico. On November 2nd, the first wave of about 160 active-duty soldiers reached the Mexican border according to NBC. According to CBS, the number of troops had increased to 5,100 by November 5.

“We’re prepared to do all that we can to support the decisions that Mexico makes about how they’re going to address this very serious and important issue to their country” Secretary Pompeo told reporters.

Article by MoCo Student staff writer Nene Narh-Mensah of Montgomery Blair High School