Central American immigrants inundate southern Mexico seeking new humanitarian visas

A decision by Mexico’s new government to liberalize entry rules for foreigners seeking “humanitarian” visas has in recent days sparked a new exodus of Central Americans, many of them intent on making it to the United States. Most are not converging on Mexico’s southern border here in organized caravans, but rather in groups drawn by news that Mexico was offering the one-year visas — which include the right to work in Mexico, travel freely in the country, and leave Mexico and return. Although some applicants say they may consider remaining in Mexico, many acknowledge that their ultimate aim is to enter the United States and apply for political asylum. In the last week, Mexico has received more than 10,000 applications for the new humanitarian visas here at its southern border post with Guatemala. That number is growing each day. The bridge spanning the Suchiate River — which forms the frontier between Mexico and Guatemala — is currently packed with hundreds of visa applicants. Others wait on the Guatemalan side, and more are reportedly on the way north. Many sleep on the bridge to await their turns. The vast majority of applicants are Central Americans, mostly Hondurans, but there are also considerable numbers of Guatemalans, Salvadorans and Nicaraguans. The visas are a result of the liberalized entry policies of Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, a leftist populist who took office on Dec. 1 vowing to respect the human rights of Central American migrants seeking to enter Mexico. Previous Mexican administrations, under pressure from Washington, have set up strict border controls and deported tens of thousands of undocumented Central Americans in recent years. But Lopez Obrador has signaled that he is intent on a different approach — one that could draw concerns in Washington, where the Trump administration has made reducing Central American migration a priority...MORE