Authorities in Oaxaca rescued 174 migrants, including 41 minors, on Wednesday in a coordinated operation that highlights the dangerous conditions faced by those traveling northward amid fears of stricter U.S. immigration policies under president-elect Donald Trump.
The joint effort, led by the Oaxaca Prosecutor’s Office (FGEO) with assistance from the Defense Ministry (Sedena), the National Guard (GN) and police, took place in Juchitán, Oaxaca, in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec region.
Authorities found migrants of various nationalities in five simultaneous actions. Those rescued included 75 Venezuelans, 26 Hondurans, 22 Ecuadorians, 17 Colombians and single-digit totals from Guatemala, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador and elsewhere.
Officials reported that some of those rescued were being held against their will, underscoring the risks of kidnapping and exploitation faced by those traveling through Mexico. Four people were arrested and are in custody.
The migrants are receiving medical evaluations and humanitarian assistance under the supervision of the National Migration Institute (INM).
The rescue occurred in the vicinity of the “Cristo Vive” caravan, which began with 1,600 people. It is not clear from official statements whether the rescued migrants were part of the caravan or simply taking a similar route north. It is also possible that some migrants would have preferred not to be “rescued,” a term which the Mexican government uses both for victims of kidnapping and migrants who have paid hundreds US dollars or more for human traffickers to transport them north.
The recent rescue followed the Nov. 9 rescue of 71 migrants in the same region, signaling a rising trend in migrant apprehensions as caravans continue their journeys toward the United States. Among them were 19 minors.
“Migrants are desperate to cross before the U.S. shuts its doors entirely,” said Luis Rey García Villagrán, a human rights advocate who leads caravans northward from Chiapas. He noted that Trump’s election has spurred fears of a looming humanitarian crisis, with reports indicating up to 1,000 individuals crossing Mexico’s southern border daily.
Human rights organizations report that many of those migrants endure grueling conditions, including extortion, deception and kidnappings, as they traverse through southern Mexico.
García Villagrán confirmed that the National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) has issued precautionary measures aimed at protecting migrants during their difficult journey.
The “Cristo Vive” caravan currently trekking through Oaxaca is facing harsh conditions, including low temperatures, strong winds, and various pains and illnesses. On a typical day recently, they walked about 30 kilometers (19 miles) from one municipality to another.
Medical-aid groups such as Doctors Without Borders have been treating migrants suffering from respiratory issues, dehydration and foot injuries sustained from walking long distances on asphalt. The patients were mainly women and children suffering from colds, headaches, intestinal pain and sore feet.
Despite the CNDH measures, some activists have criticized the CNDH for weakening its oversight and leaving vulnerable populations at greater risk.
2 mil migrantes salieron de #Tapachula, #Chiapas, rumbo a #EUA. Son familias enteras, con niños en brazos, huyendo de las penurias de su país natal. Y esta no es la única caravana que marcha hacia el norte: pic.twitter.com/5Geauz1v5t
— Nacho Lozano (@nacholozano) November 21, 2024
The rescued individuals are part of a broad wave of migration surging through southern Mexico.
In early October, a group of migrants in Chiapas was fired upon by Mexican soldiers, causing six deaths.
In recent weeks, caravans with thousands of migrants have departed from Chiapas, intent on reaching the U.S. border before Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20. The Republican figurehead has pledged to enact sweeping immigration reforms, including mass deportations and stricter border controls.
According to reports, a caravan with some 2,500 migrants left Tapachula earlier this week, less than two weeks after a caravan departed Nov. 5 with about 3,000 people.
U.S. immigration enforcement remains stringent under President Joe Biden, with expedited deportations and reduced asylum claims. Yet arrests along the southern U.S. border have recently increased, suggesting a buildup ahead of Trump’s return to power.
With reports from Aristegui Noticias, El Universal, Quadratin Oaxaca and El País
