Hundreds of migrants leave Mexico City headed for US border
673 views · Published 17 November 2018 · 3:39 · Indexed 20 September 2026
Channel: AP Archive · 2018 · News & Politics
(9 Nov 2018) About 500 Central American migrants headed out of Mexico City on Friday to embark on the longest and most dangerous leg of their journey to the US border, while thousands more were waiting one day more at a massive improvised shelter. The group that got a head start bundled their few possessions and started off, taking a subway to the north part of the city and then hiking down an expressway with a police escort. For many, it was the first time they had ever been in a metro system, and they had little knowledge of the city or the 1,740 mile (2,800 kilometre) route to Tijuana that lay ahead of them. The advance group hoped to reach the north-central city of Queretaro, about 105 miles (170 kilometres) to the northwest, by nightfall. Meanwhile, another 4,000 to 5,000 migrants milled around the massive shelter improvised at a Mexico City sports complex, impatient to leave. Thousands of migrants have spent the past few days resting, receiving medical attention and debating how to proceed with their arduous trek through Central America and Mexico which began in mid-October. On Thursday, caravan representatives met with officials from the local United Nations office and demanded buses to take them to the border. A caravan coordinator said officials had offered them buses for women and children but organisers demanded that they be for everyone. Mexico City is more than 600 miles from the nearest US border crossing at McAllen, Texas, but a previous caravan in the spring opted for the longer route to Tijuana in the far northwest, across from San Diego. That caravan steadily dwindled to only about 200 people by the time it reached the border. Mexico has offered refuge, asylum or work visas to the migrants, and its government said 2,697 temporary visas had been issued to individuals and families to cover them while they wait for the 45-day application process for a more permanent status. On Wednesday, a bus left from Mexico City to return 37 people to their countries of origin. But many want to continue on toward the United States. Authorities say most have refused offers to stay in Mexico, and only a small number have agreed to return to their home countries. About 85 percent of the migrants are from Honduras, while others are from the Central American countries of Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/ You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/3246e419d9f431c859dbcec469945ed2
