Migrants on the Move: Racing Against Election Time

Hundreds of migrants from several countries started a journey from Mexico's southern border to the US border, hoping to arrive before the US elections. They fear that if Donald Trump wins, he will close the border to asylum-seekers. The migrants use the CBP One app for legal entry appointments.

Hundreds of migrants from a dozen countries embarked on a journey from Mexico's southern border on Sunday, aiming to reach the US border.

Fearing a potential win by Donald Trump in the upcoming November elections, the migrants expressed concerns about the closure of the border to asylum-seekers.

Miguel Salazar, a 37-year-old migrant from El Salvador, emphasized the risk of permits being withheld under a new Trump administration. Currently, migrants use the CBP One app to secure legal entry appointments at US border posts, but the app only functions in Mexico City or northern states.

The group departed from Ciudad Hidalgo, a town near the Guatemala-Mexico border, where many had waited for weeks for travel permits. Large migrant groups, often formed to minimize risks of gang attacks or apprehension by Mexican immigration officials, typically dissolve in southern Mexico due to the exhausting journey.

Mexico has intensified efforts to deter migrants from reaching the US border by bus or train, awarding travel permits sparingly to those without visas and detaining thousands at checkpoints.

Oswaldo Reyna, a 55-year-old Cuban migrant, had waited 45 days in Ciudad Hidalgo to join the caravan after crossing from Guatemala. He condemned Trump's remarks about migrants invading the US, asserting that migrants are hardworking individuals fleeing difficult conditions in their home countries.

(With inputs from agencies.)