The Mexican Government sent hundreds of elements of the Army and the National Guard to its main crossing at the southern border, between the State of Chiapas and Guatemala, amid growing migratory flow.
The deployment occurs one week after the historic closure of that border, which Mexico carried out with the argument of curbing COVID-19 infections, but also coincides with the eve of the arrival of the first 1.5 million of a total of 2.7 million vaccines of AstraZeneca that the United States will deliver to the country after a negotiation made between the presidents of both countries.
Mexico has detained 34,993 migrants as of March 25.
The United States (EU) Government foresees that the number of unaccompanied migrant children crossing its southern border will continue to increase significantly during the next two months, reaching up to 25,000 minors during the month of May.
According to these estimates, between 18,600 and 22,000 unaccompanied minors could cross the border illegally in April, a figure that could rise to between 21,800 and 25,000 in May.
In March, US border authorities expect to receive more than 16,000 children, a number that is already a record for any month for at least 10 years, according to government data.
By comparison, the figure was 9,300 in February and 5,700 in January.
The rapid increase in Mexican border crossings by minors, mainly from Central American countries, has collapsed the US reception system, generating strong criticism of the current administration.
Specifically, criticism has focused on the situation of minors who have crossed the border in recent weeks and who have had to stay longer than allowed by law in Customs and Border Protection ( CBP) centers that are designed for adults, not children or teens.
US regulations establish that minors can be in these facilities for a maximum of 72 hours before going to shelters or foster families.
Internal documents accessed by The Wall Street Journal suggest that the time children spend in CBP centers could be reduced with an increase in the number of emergency shelter beds.
Currently, the US Government has in its custody more than 18,000 migrant minors, most of them are housed in shelters and around 5,000 in Border Patrol facilities.
The Mexican Government sent hundreds of elements of the Army and the National Guard to its main crossing at the southern border, between the . . .
