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Migrant Caravan - Central American Migration

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October 25, 2018

Why in news?

A trail of migrants has been moving northwards from Honduras and Guatemala, towards Mexico and the U.S., in the recent days.

Is this the first time?

  • Migration of Central Americans to Mexico and the US has taken place for decades.
  • They are mostly economic migrants seeking escape from poverty in places like Honduras.
  • Otherwise, they are people fleeing persecution, trafficking or gang violence in the region.
  • Earlier this year, a caravan from Honduras had reached the Mexico-US border travelling 3,500 km.
  • It was organised by a rights group called Pueblo Sin Fronteras (people without borders).

Why is the current one unique?

  • In previous such caravans (a group travelling together), members numbered in the hundreds and dissipated along the way or upon reaching the border.
  • However, a migrant caravan of such a scale and organised nature, as the current one, is relatively new.
  • It originally numbered fewer than 200 people, grew to 1,000 by the time it had crossed into Guatemala.
  • It is now estimated to have reached more than 7,000 migrants.
  • The caravan was formed in San Pedro Sula in Honduras, known for high levels of violence.
  • It has also gathered momentum from media attention and support from advocacy groups.
  • But so far, no group has claimed responsibility for organising it.

What is the response?

  • Americans are and will probably always be a nation of immigrants.
  • As President, Barack Obama took a hard line on undocumented worker deportations.
  • But he took a moderate stance when it came to delaying the deportation of childhood arrivals, and policed borders with a relatively light touch.
  • Contrarily, Trump has made every effort to deliver on his radical campaign promise to ban Muslims from entering the U.S.
  • The recent “migrant caravan” had led to warnings from Trump.
  • He had alerted border authorities about a “national emergency”.
  • He has also warned of criminals crossing over, economic dislocation and job loss.
  • It was also said that the US would begin curtailing aid to Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador.
  • Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales had dismissed Trump’s threats, and rejected constraints placed on foreign aid.
  • The Mexican government deployed about 700 National Police officers to the border and issued warnings to the caravan’s participants.

What next?

  • The Trump administration is looking into an array of new policies that it hopes will deter Central Americans from such trips.
  • These range from a new form of the practice of family separation to stricter requirements on asylum.

 

Source: Indian Express, The Hindu

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