At U.S.-Mexico border, illegal immigrants arrested topped 8,000 people per day during some days in September
By Anna Giaritelli
AUSTIN, Texas (Texas Insider Report) — The Mexican government has begun busing immigrants in the southern part of the country north toward the United States, a move that will complicate the Biden administration's efforts to reduce illegal immigration.
Under a new Mexican government initiative, transportation from north of the Guatemala-Mexico border is being provided to immigrants to ease the demand and pressure on public and private transportation systems.
Approximately 400 immigrants waited for the government buses on Monday in the Oaxaca state in southern Mexico, according to Reuters.
The government-run busing site was opened last week in response to as many as 1,000 immigrants gathering at a station in Juchitan daily, overwhelming operations and the site.
Bus tickets range from $22 to $85 one-way, depending on the distance.
Mexico's southern border has seen thousands crossing daily, mostly headed to the U.S. and bypassing Mexico. Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Monday that 6,000 people were making their way across from Guatemala each day.
Bus tickets range from $22 to $85 one-way, depending on the distance.
Mexico's southern border has seen thousands crossing daily, mostly headed to the U.S. and bypassing Mexico. Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Monday that 6,000 people were making their way across from Guatemala each day.
Thousands of immigrants have hopped on freight trains headed north to get a free ride, but trains have been suspended in the past few weeks due to accidents involving those hitching rides.
At the U.S.-Mexico border, the number of illegal immigrants arrested each day has topped 8,000 people per day during some days in September.
Areas, including Eagle Pass, Texas, Tucson, Arizona, and San Diego, California, have seen 1,000 to 2,000 arrests by Border Patrol daily. The large majority are not returned to their countries of origin, but are released into the U.S. to face removal proceedings years in the future.
The White House did not respond to a request for comment about the Mexican government's busing program.
Anna Giaritelli joined the Washington Examiner in 2015 and focuses on homeland security, immigration, and border issues. Currently based in Austin, Texas, she has traveled to the border on more than 50 occasions since 2018, covering human smuggling, the evolution of the war on drugs, domestic terrorism, and migration trends. Follow Anna on Twitter @Anna_Giaritelli.