Most of them are claiming asylum.
What may become the largest migrant caravan to ever approach the U.S. southern border had formed in Mexico and was expected to begin heading north Monday. About 11,000 migrants gathered in Tapachula, a city on the Mexico-Guatemala border, with the intention of making their way toward the U.S. The numbers are expected to increase in the coming days and could reach 150,000 people.
More than 234,000 migrants were intercepted at the southern border in April, breaking the previous month’s 22-year high of 221,000. U.S. Customs and Border Protection statistics show that 73,994 encounters occurred in December 2020, former President Donald Trump’s last full month in office.
While many migrants claim asylum, most do not qualify for asylum under U.S. law. Yet migrants have been allowed to stay once they cross the border and claim asylum. In many cases, they get a work permit and assistance from non-governmental organizations that are assisting the government with relocating them.
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For Secretary Mayorkas to seek God’s direction as he heads Homeland Security.
- For U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents as they encounter and process migrants entering the nation illegally.
- For Citizenship and Immigration Services officials as the asylum status of thousands of migrants must be determined.
Sources: NBC News, The Guardian, Newsmax
