In a highway near the Mexico-Guatemala border , Mexican authorities have set up a scanner to detect migrants trying to sneak into the country to make their way to the United States .
In yet another barrier, border patrols inspect minibuses and taxis, verifying the identity of passengers under surveillance of Federal Police .
Since January , illegal immigrant arrests in Mexico have tripled, going from 8,248 to 23,679 in the month of May . The number of deportations has also shown an increase, with a total of 16,507 cases last month .
The deployment of 6,000 troops from the National Guard last week was part of an agreement signed with the United States to “take stronger measures to stem the tide of migration,” under threats by U.S. President Donald Trump to impose 5% tariffs on Mexican goods.
Though some businessmen are happy with the Mexican government’s most recent decision, the country’s new measures to tackle the migration crisis have sparked outrage among human rights activists. “They are using migrants as a bargaining chip,” said Ernesto Castanedo , an activist from the Buen Pastor shelter in Tapachula .
“This may stop some of the larger caravans, but the migration issue will continue,” he added.
Meanwhile, several groups of Central American migrants are looking for new routes to cross the jungle of Chiapas. AFP news detected a Honduran family and several men trying to sneak between posts outside Huixtla, Chiapa s.
In this context, 103 policemen were deployed to increase safety and control at the Tapachula migration station In Chiapas, according to the Ministry of Security and Citizen Protection .
“21 women and 82 men have been deployed to increase security at the Siglo XXI Migration Station from the National Migration Institute (INM) ,” the Ministry informed through a press release.
José Pedro Vizuet, SPF commissioner
, instructed the police forces not to repress or start confrontations with migrants. Their aim will be to “act at all times in accordance with human rights,” the document added.
Last week, members of Mexico’s military and National Guard arrested 25 Central American migrants who were traveling on board the train known as “La Bestia” to Oaxaca. A group of 200 people managed to escape, according to human rights defenders and activists.
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