A caravan of roughly 1,200 migrants—mostly from Cuba—is trekking north through southern Mexico, but unlike those in years past, this group isn’t heading for the U.S. border. Instead, they’re bound for Mexico City, a shift many attribute to the firm Trump immigration policies that have sharply reduced illegal crossings into the United States.
The caravan began its journey in Tapachula, a struggling border city long overwhelmed by waves of migrants fleeing Central America’s poverty and crime. Now, more are choosing to stay in Mexico rather than risk the journey to the U.S. under Trump’s renewed enforcement measures.
“Why would I want to go to the United States? They hate us there,” one Cuban woman told El País while traveling with her children. That sentiment underscores a broader regional recalibration as the U.S. tightens its borders and Mexico becomes a more common destination.
Elaine Dezenski of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies told Fox News Digital that “increased U.S. border enforcement and deportations are influencing migrants’ choices,” with more seeking asylum in Mexico than in previous years. Under Trump’s policies, illegal border encounters have plummeted to levels “not seen since the 1960s,” according to the Migration Policy Institute.
While some analysts warn of labor shortages tied to reduced migration, conservatives see this as proof that strong borders work. America’s sovereignty, once dismissed as unattainable, is being restored through resolve and enforcement.
