Migrant caravan headed to the U.S. from Honduras disbands in Guatemala
A caravan of some 500 migrants that departed northern Honduras in hopes of reaching the U.S. disbanded Sunday after crossing the border into Guatemala, the Guatemalan Migration Institute reported.
Authorities had been monitoring three border crossings and said that part of the caravan advanced a few miles into Guatemalan territory before it was stopped by migration officials, who processed the migrants, with priority given to children.
According to the immigration agency, no force was used and dialogue prevailed. Those who had documents were able to continue on as Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua and El Salvador have free transit among them. Those who did not have the necessary documents returned to Honduras.
Authorities did not offer figures on how many stayed or returned.
The federal government warned Texas it had until Wednesday night to stop blocking Border Patrol agents or it would refer the matter to the Justice Department “for appropriate action.”
The caravan left Saturday, walking from the bus terminal of San Pedro Sula in Honduras. It was the first such group to leave Honduras since January 2022.
The vast majority of migrants cross Central America and Mexico in small groups, using all types of transportation and smuggling networks. Only a few form caravans.
The largest ones left San Pedro Sula in late 2018 and 2019, and many made it as far as the southern U.S. border. But after the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. put pressure on Mexico and Central American governments to increase their efforts to stop migrants headed north.
Since then, caravans have been stopped first in southern Mexico and later in Guatemalan territory.
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