Hundreds Of US Bound Illegal Immigrants Detained At Mexican Border
More than 500 illegal, undocumented immigrants were detained by authorities at the Mexican border. According to Mexican officials, most of the immigrants were from Central America risking their lives trying to cross the border to the United States.
Another 200 undocumented immigrants were found jam-packed into six safe houses that were allegedly used by criminal groups from the Mexican state of Tamaulipas which is located near the border of the United States.
Mexican officials reported that many of the illegal immigrants were being trafficked by smugglers. Conditions were harsh as the immigrants were smuggled in unventilated trucks with no food or water supply. An estimated 100 of the immigrants were minors.
The immigrants who were detained in six different operations said they had paid the traffickers up to $4,000 to cross the border.
Another report from Mexico’s National Migration Institute revealed that 100 undocumented Guatemalans and Hondurans were found cramped in two buses at the western state of Jalisco.
Among the illegal immigrants were 41 minors. According to the detainees, each one of them paid the smuggler between $5,000 and $7,000.
Another operation uncovered 53 Guatemalans inside an unventilated truck in the eastern state of Veracruz. 13 minors were among the group of detainees.
Over the weekend, authorities arrested 228 illegal immigrants from Central America and one Mexican. The following Monday, three more operations yielded 40 Hondurans in Veracruz, 43 Central American in Tamaulipas and 41 more illegals in the state of Tabasco.
Mexican authorities arrested a total of nine people on human trafficking charges.
Immigration has become the centrepiece issue at Washington with U.S. Congress debating on President Donald Trump’s proposal to grant citizenship to 1.6 Million immigrants who were brought to the United States as children.
Many view the proposal merely as a concession to Democrats who oppose tougher regulations on immigration, tighter border security and Trump’s campaign promise of building a $25 Billion wall at the border of Mexico.
According to Amnesty International, Mexico deports thousands of Central Americans without considering their privileges as refugees especially those who have been victims of violent groups in their home countries.