While the United States authorities might be railing about the flow of migrants from Mexico, it is imperative to know that the country itself has been suffering from illegal immigration for quite a few years. Over the years, plenty of illegal immigrants have tried to get into the country by infiltrating through its Southern border with Guatemala and in a new development, the Mexican authorities decided to act tough on Wednesday as hundreds to immigrants tried the trick once again. In a major escalation, the Mexican authorities sent in soldiers, armed police and immigration officials to the border to meet the migrants who had infiltrated through the Southern border.
Mexico’s response is a direct consequence of the country’s decision to get more tough on immigrants that flow into the country from Central America at an alarming rate, and it is clear that this is now going to be the country’s stand when it comes to illegal immigration from the region. Chiapas State is not as cut and dried as one would like to believe. Most of the illegal migrants who cross into Mexico from Central America every year are more often than not fleeing from persecution and violence. In addition to Guatemala, immigrants also flow in from both Honduras and El Salvador.
It is believed that this action is a direct consequence of the tariff threats made by the United States. Last week, the United States President Donald Trump threatened to impose higher tariffs on Mexican goods if the state did not control the flow of Central American immigrants into the country. Since these immigrants and asylum seekers first move into Mexico, before making their way into the United States, the move by the Mexican authorities has not come as much of a surprise for many. It is believed that around 300 to 400 people were detained by the authorities at the border and in addition to that, detained influential people involved in migrant aid groups and migrant activism. It seems that threats from the United States have switched something on inside the Mexican government, and such measures could become more commonplace in the months to come.
