Caravan of migrants in southern Mexico of almost seven thousand people dissolves, according to the National Institute of Migration of Mexico

Mexican government promises to regularize the entire migrant caravan 2:39

(CNN) --

A caravan of nearly 7,000 members that left the southern city of Tapachula, Mexico, has been broken up, according to a statement released Saturday by Mexico's National Migration Institute (INM).

The migrants, who were on their way to Mexico City, were given a migration document that proves their regular stay in Mexico, according to the INM.

The Mexican immigration authority held talks with spokesmen for the caravan and representatives from Central America, Venezuela, Haiti and other countries.

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The INM said that "with the agreements reached thanks to our conversations, migrants are prevented from being victims of criminals who are dedicated to human trafficking or traffickers who expose migrants to unsafe conditions."

A UNHCR source told CNNE on Friday that the migrant caravan in Mexico headed for the US border has broken up into groups and now has between 2,300 and 3,000 people.

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Migrants who are part of a caravan heading to the US, walk from Huixtla to Escuintla, Chiapas state, Mexico, on June 9, 2022. Credit: PEDRO PARDO/AFP via Getty Images

Many of the migrants are from Venezuela, and many of them are families with children.

There are at least three different groups divided between the cities of Huixtla, Mapastepec and Escuintla in the Mexican state of Chiapas.

A large number of them are still waiting to process immigration documents to continue their journey to the US.

Earlier this week, Human Rights Watch (HRW) released a report on June 6 indicating that migrants and asylum seekers entering Mexico through its southern border face abuse and struggle to gain protection or legal status.

This will be the operation against the smuggling of migrants in the US 1:19

Most migrants and asylum seekers said they do not attempt to apply for protection at an official border crossing for fear that INM agents will deport them, according to the HRW report.

Some migrants and asylum seekers told HRW that they “seeked protection at the border and were turned away by INM agents or security guards.

Many said INM agents dissuaded them from seeking refugee status in Mexico and pressured them to accept voluntary returns to their countries."