• news

• World news

• America

Thousands of Central American immigrants try to reach the United States: "We lost everything"

Guatemalan security forces have prevented a large convoy from crossing the border en route to Mexico, and from there to the U.S. border.

Tags

• Guatemala

• Immigrants

• United States

News agencies

Monday, 18 January 2021, 16:20

• Share on Facebook

• Share on WhatsApp

• Share on general

• Share on general

• Share on Twitter

• Share on Email

0 comments

• Contrary to the directive of the Minister of Education: B'Tselem's CEO attended the conference ...

• Security is tightening in Washington ahead of Biden's inauguration ...

• Chairman of the Israelis and Mayor of Tel Aviv - Jaffa Ron Huldai ...

• After being poisoned and recovered: Navalny returns to Russia 17.1.21

• Despite the closure: Talmud Torah and yeshivot opened for studies ...

• Wedding of the grandson of the Rebbe of Darag with the granddaughter of the Rebbe ...

• The Economics Committee discusses the operation of Ben Gurion Airport: "If it is not possible to manage ...

• Police have released a binder of the murder suspect in the palace ...

In video: Security forces in Guatemala prevent immigrants from crossing the border (Photo: Reuters)

Guatemalan security forces stopped a convoy of migrants with batons and tear gas to prevent them from continuing to advance toward the United States.

The government has said it will not accept "illegal mass movements" after yesterday (Sunday) it arrested thousands near the border with Honduras making the dangerous journey on foot.

Some 7,000 immigrants, mostly from Honduras, have entered the country in recent days after fleeing poverty and violence in their countries.

They hope to reach Mexico, and from there to the border with the United States.

Elected President Joe Biden has promised to lift the strict restrictions of outgoing President Donald Trump, but officials in his administration, who will take office on Wednesday, said immigration policy would not change overnight.

More on Walla!

NEWS

Hundreds of parents of immigrant children separated by the Trump administration have yet to be found

To the full article

More on Walla!

NEWS

• In protest of the budget: Guatemalan protesters stormed parliament

• Diplomacy Instead of "America First": Biden's Foreign Policy Challenges

• The U.S. Supreme Court has approved: $ 2.5 billion will be directed to fund the wall on the Mexican border

• Istanbul is open - an hour away from a natural and regular solution for female pattern baldness

"Illegal mass movements."

Guatemala security forces repel immigrants yesterday (Photo: Reuters)

As the migrants advanced toward the border with Mexico, they were stopped by security forces near the town of Wado Hondo in the southeast of the country.

Several people were injured while trying to get past the policemen and soldiers, but many immigrants followed in their footsteps.

Some waited near the site for another attempt to cross the border.

Others fled to nearby mountains.

"Fortunately, the security forces have implemented a contingency plan, and contained this battle," said Guillermo Diaz, head of Guatemala's immigration agency.

"We have no job, or food"

The Guatemalan presidency said: "The message is clear and clear - we will not accept illegal mass movements like these. That is why we are working with neighboring countries to address this as a regional issue."

The government later announced that 21 migrants seeking medical assistance had been diagnosed positive for the corona virus.

One of the catalysts for the last migrant convoy was the massive destruction in Central America caused by two major hurricanes in late November.

"There is still mud everywhere, everything is ruined, we lost everything," Ismail Eliezer, one of the immigrants, told the Associated Press.

Danya Hinstrosa, 23, who is making the trip with her daughter, told AFP: "We do not have a job, or food, so I decided to go to the United States."

"There is still mud everywhere, everything is ruined, we have lost everything."

Immigrants in the border area, yesterday (Photo: Reuters)

Biden's promise to change Trump's immigration policy has apparently led some immigrants to try to reach a border with the United States.

However, a senior official in the Biden administration, who spoke on condition of anonymity, made it clear that the new president would initially address the stateless immigrants already in the United States today.

Mark Morgan, the acting commissioner of the United States Customs and Border Service, said last week that those who want to reach the southern border do not "waste your time and money."

He said the United States' commitment to "rule of law and public health" was not affected by the change in administration.

More than ten similar groups, sometimes including thousands of immigrants, have emigrated from Central America toward the United States in recent years.

One of the biggest ones came out of Honduras in October 2018, and Trump described it as an "invasion."

The outgoing president put a lot of pressure on Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador to prevent these convoys from reaching the United States.

• Share on Facebook

• Share on WhatsApp

• Share on general

• Share on general

• Share on Twitter

• Share on Email

0 comments