The first migrant caravan of 2025 is marching from Mexico toward the US, with its 2,000 members hoping to rush the border before President-elect Donald Trump takes office.
More such massive groups are also expected to make haste before the Jan. 20 inaugration of Trump — who has vowed to launch a sweeping immigration crackdown.
The current group was on the move from southern Mexico on Friday, according to Border Report.
The caravan was the 10th US-bound group that has formed since October.
The latest migrant caravan hopes the US can reach a “humanitarian” deal with Mexico on migration.
“There must be an agreement between the government of Mexico and the government of the United States to establish humanitarian policies in favor of all these people,” said Luis Garcia Villagran, director of the Center for Human Dignity and a caravan leader, to reporters Thursday.
“We are not criminals. All we are asking for is an opportunity for life,” Villagran said.
Shelters in northern Mexico are starting to see a renewed surge in migrant arrivals, worrying that numbers could only grow when Trump begins carrying out his planned mass deportations, according to Border Report.
The Rev. Francisco Gonzalez said his 11 shelters in northern Mexico are “making preparations [to receive] those who will try to cross before Trump” takes office, the outlet reported.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo told reporters Friday she “is not in favor” of Trump’s mass deportation plan.
“We are going to ask the United States that, if possible, they can take the migrants who are not from Mexico [back] to their countries of origin,” Sheinbaum said in a news conference.
“If not, we can collaborate through different mechanisms. There will be time to talk about this with the US government if these deportations occur. […] But we will receive them [the migrants], and we will receive them well.”
