Some 2,000 migrants advanced to the middle of the Santa Fe International Bridge, the dividing line between Mexico and the United States, in the Mexican Ciudad Juárez, to pressure and demand that the US authorities enter that country this Sunday.
In a first action, the migrants, mostly Central and South American, passed a checkpoint of Mexican authorities on the aforementioned bridge, also known as Paso del Norte, which borders Ciudad Juárez and the city of El Paso, Texas, United States. United States and then tried to force their way into the United States.
The objective of the migrants was to exert pressure and call the attention of the US authorities to grant them permits and allow them to cross to go in search of the so-called "American dream".
Among the undocumented immigrants themselves who remain near the border crossing, a rumor spread that upon reaching that point they would be allowed to enter. However, the immigration agents from the United States were waiting for them armed and to prevent their passage they installed a security concertina, that is, coiled razor wire, to prevent them from crossing illegally.
Due to the arrival of more migrants, their demands increased until the US authorities beat those who tried to cross while threatening them with firearms.
Dozens of undocumented immigrants reported that they have tried to cross into the United States legally, that they have made an effort to have an appointment with the immigration authorities to obtain political asylum, but they have not been lucky since an error always appears in the application. time to get the appointment.
Because of this, they said, they will remain as long as necessary in the middle of the bridge to enter the United States. Faced with such a scenario, the agents of the United States Customs and Border Protection Office formed a barrier with dozens of police officers to monitor the area.
One of the protesters was Luisa, originally from Venezuela, who told EFE that on March 1 she showed up with her appointment and the United States authorities told her to say goodbye to her children, "that I passed, but they did not".
"So I went back and today, March 12, that my children have their appointment, they tell me that I cannot cross and the chief of the agents told me that this is the way things are and that they are the ones in charge".
She mentioned that it is impossible to get a family appointment and in her case since December she has tried to go to the immigration authorities of the United States, but when she goes with her children, they ask her to separate from them. "What mother is going to leave her children alone?"exposed.
Another example is that of José López, also from Venezuela, who said that he is in Ciudad Juárez to try to cross. "So I’ll be here as long as it takes"said.
He said that in Ciudad Juárez he has to take care of the Mexican authorities and not leave after 7:00 p.m. since he wants to enter the United States and his stay generates food and lodging expenses for his family.
One more case is José Álvarez, also of Venezuelan origin, who commented that he has been in Ciudad Juárez for more than 60 days.
"We have looked for the appointment and nothing that we managed to have it. I have thought that the Government of the United States, on purpose causes the error in the application so that we do not enter".
He explained that the ideal would be for the United States authorities to make a written list so that it can be seen whether each migrant who requires it can obtain political asylum or not.
The Mexican border city is practically collapsed by the massive arrival of migrants.
In addition, the shelters are at their maximum capacity and migrants who do not find refuge sleep on the streets, facing the low temperatures in the region. Regarding food and shelter, the migrants have been supported by the community of Ciudad Juárez.
The region is experiencing a record migratory flow, with 2.76 million undocumented people detained at the United States border with Mexico in fiscal year 2022.