Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has called on the US to make major changes to its immigration policy as thousands of migrants have been stopped by police in neighboring Guatemala.
Mr Lopez Obrador said he hoped President-elect Joe Biden would agree to work with Mexico and other countries on the issue.
The Caravans of Immigrants
About 7,000 migrants, most of them from Honduras, have entered Guatemala.
They hope to move on to Mexico and eventually reach the US border.
Every year, tens of thousands of Central American immigrants try to reach the US, often on foot, in groups known as “immigrant caravans”.
They say they are fleeing persecution, violence and poverty in their countries. Conditions have been made worse by the devastation caused by two major hurricanes that hit Central America last November.
Mr Lopez’ Statement
Commenting on Monday, Mr Lopez Obrador urged the US to change its policies on immigration.
“I think the time has come for the commitment [to immigration reform] to be fulfilled, and that is what we hope,” he said.
“In Joe Biden’s campaign, he offered to finalise immigration reform and I hope that he is able to achieve this. That is what I hope.”
He said his government would try to prevent immigrants from crossing into Mexico but added that the rights of all immigrants should be respected.
What Happened In Guatemala?
In Guatemala on Monday, security destroyed a caravan of about 4,000 mostly Honduran migrants who had been camped out near the village of Vado Hondo.
Witnesses said officers, beating their batons against their shields, tried to force the group back in the direction of the Honduran border, about 50km (31 miles) away.
The migrants scattered but several threw stones at police who responded by firing tear gas.
The caravan had been held back in the area since Saturday and was blocking a key road, resulting in a long tail behind cars. Violence erupted on Sunday when some immigrants tried to force themselves to cross the police line by the use of aggression.
Speaking to reporters, Guatemalan Foreign Minister Pedro Brolo called on the Honduran government to help ensure “a safe and secure travel route for those in the caravan”.
President Donald Trump has taken a hard line against illegal immigration, especially on the southern border of the US and Mexico. He also put pressure on Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador to put pressure on immigrants to the north.
Mr Biden vowed to repeal strict immigration policies before him but his administration, who will take office on Wednesday, warned immigrants not to take the trip because the policies would not change so quickly.
An administration official told NBC News that immigrants trying to seek asylum in the US “need to understand that they will not be able to come to the United States immediately”.
Biden’s administration will prioritize undocumented immigrants living in the United States, not those heading or trying to head in the country, the official said.
