A migrant caravan is moving north through Mexico, with some members hoping last week’s Democrat midterm victories will make it easier to enter the United States.
The group, numbering roughly 2,000 people, has reached southern Mexico and is continuing toward the U.S. border, according to CNN.
“We know that the Democrats are not going to let a point as big as the Latino vote be lost. And I think they are going to give us the opportunity to reach our new homes, our new opportunities,” Cesar Sandoval, a Nicaraguan migrant, said.
But Tom Homan, President Donald Trump’s border czar, warned Wednesday that federal authorities will not be “giving one inch” to illegal migrants in the caravan.
“Congress may be more blue, Texas may be more blue, but the White House is red, bright red,” he said during an interview on Fox News.
“These caravans can come to the border all they want, they’re not going to be released into the United States,” he said. “They’re going to be turned around or prosecuted then turned around because we will charge them with a crime.”
Some caravan members doubted that border restrictions would loosen and said they wanted to stay in Mexico.
“As long as [Trump] does not definitely leave, I think it will continue the same,” said another migrant whose name was not disclosed.
A different migrant caravan left Honduras last month and reached Mexico before the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) declared that there was “absolutely ZERO chance” the group would be able to enter the United States.
Another caravan left in September before Mexican authorities broke it up near the Chiapas-Oaxaca border.
President Donald Trump’s border policies have put a stop to the catch-and-release pipeline that allowed millions of illegal immigrants to get released into the country under the Biden administration.
Now, there is concern that Democratic leadership in border states like Texas could open the floodgates.
Texas Democratic governor-elect Gina Hinojosa has yet to say whether she would prevent state police from working alongside federal immigration authorities.
Hinojosa has said she opposes having local authorities help Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrest illegal immigrants. She also previously opposed a state law criminalizing illegal border crossings.
In the wake of the election, several major cities across Texas have rushed to adopt sanctuary policies.
The Trump administration has also targeted people involved in organizing migrant caravans with visa restrictions.
The State Department recently announced visa actions against more than 15 people it said were “involved in organizing, facilitating, or promoting recent migrant caravans.”
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