Honduran migrants stand next to cargo trucks as they confront Guatemalan soldiers and police manning a roadblock the prevents them from advancing toward the U.S. in Vado Hondo, Guatemala. | Sandra Sebastian/AP Photo
Guatemalan officials stopped the latest migrant Caravan from going any further and sent most of those involved back to Honduras today.
The caravan, the first since the election, was reportedly aided by Honduran security forces as it made it’s way north. Pedro Brolo Vila, Guatemala‘s foreign affairs secretary, said Honduras had promised to use its security forces to dissuade the migrants from reaching Guatemala’s border. Instead, Honduran security forces accompanied the migrants “toward our borders where regrettably we saw how they entered violently, violating Guatemala’s territorial sovereignty.”
It’s fairly clear why this is happening now. Biden has laid out plans that include a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants and plans to end the stay in Mexico policy of the Trump administration.
Given what happened today it’s likely that the migrants will change the way they try to get to the US. The caravans were started as a way for the migrants to stay safe in their way north. However, after today’s stoppage, and the ease with which it was accomplished, the caravan concept is no longer an effective means of travel.