174 migrants, including 41 minors, rescued in Oaxaca

Oaxacan authorities on Wednesday rescued 174 migrants, including 41 minors, in a coordinated operation that highlights the dangerous conditions facing those heading north amid concerns about tougher U.S. immigration policies under President-elect Donald Trump.

The joint effort, led by the Oaxaca Prosecutor’s Office (FGEO) with the assistance of the Ministry of Defense (Sedena), the National Guard (GN) and the police, took place in Juchitan, Oaxaca, in Isthmus of the Tehuantepec region.

Authorities found migrants of different nationalities in five simultaneous protests. Those rescued included 75 Venezuelans, 26 Hondurans, 22 Ecuadorians, 17 Colombians, as well as single-digit numbers from Guatemala, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador and other countries.

Officials said some of those rescued were held against their will, highlighting the risk of kidnapping and exploitation faced by those traveling through Mexico. Four people were arrested and are in custody.

Migrants undergo medical examination and humanitarian assistance under the supervision of the National Institute of Migration (INM).

The rescue took place in the area of ​​the Cristo Vive caravan, numbering 1,600 people. It is unclear from official statements whether the rescued migrants were part of a caravan or simply following a similar route north. It’s also possible that some migrants would prefer not to be “rescued,” a term the Mexican government uses for both kidnapping victims and migrants who have paid hundreds of U.S. dollars or more to traffickers to bring them north.

The recent rescue follows that of 71 migrants on Nov. 9 in the same region, signaling a growing trend in migrant apprehensions as caravans continue to make their way to the United States. Among them were 19 minors.

“Migrants are desperately trying to cross the border before the US closes its doors completely,” he said. Luis Rey Garcia Villagran, human rights defender which leads caravans north from Chiapas. He noted that Trump’s election has heightened fears of a looming humanitarian crisis, with up to 1,000 people reported crossing Mexico’s southern border every day.

Human rights groups say many of these migrants endure debilitating conditions, including extortion, deception and kidnapping, while crossing into southern Mexico.

García Villagran confirmed that the National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) has taken precautionary measures aimed at protecting migrants during their difficult journey.

The Cristo Vive caravan, which is currently traveling through Oaxaca, faces harsh conditions including low temperatures, strong winds, and various pains and illnesses. On a typical day recently, they walked about 30 kilometers (19 miles) from one municipality to another.

Medical aid groups such as Doctors Without Borders treat migrants suffering from respiratory problems, dehydration and leg injuries sustained from walking long distances on asphalt. The patients were mostly women and children suffering from colds, headaches, intestinal pain and leg pain.

Despite the CNDH’s measures, some activists have criticized the CNDH for weakening controls and putting vulnerable populations at greater risk.

2 million migrants Salieron de #Tapachula, #Chiapasrumbo a #EUA. Son familias enteras, con niños en brazos, huyendo de las penurias de su país natal. Y esta no es la única caravana que Marcha Hacia el Norte: pic.twitter.com/5Geuz1v5t

— Nacho Lozano (@nacholozano) November 21, 2024

The rescued people are part of a wider wave of migration sweeping through southern Mexico.

At the beginning of October, a group of migrants in Chiapas was shot at by Mexican soldiers, leaving six dead.

In recent weeks caravans carrying thousands of migrants have left Chiapas, aiming to reach the US border before Trump’s inauguration on January 20. mass deportations and tightening border controls.

A caravan carrying about 2,500 migrants reportedly left Tapachula earlier this week, less than two weeks after a caravan carrying about 3,000 people left on November 5.

Immigration policies in the US remain strict under President Joe Biden. with expedited deportations and a reduction in asylum applications. However, the number of arrests at the US southern border has increased recently, suggesting that the number will increase ahead of Trump’s return to power.

With reports from Aristegui News, El Universal, Quadratin Oaxaca And El Pais