Thousands of migrants heading to U.S. border, amid Biden promises of pathway to citizenship
Thousands of migrants are marching from Honduras to the United States following news that President-elect Biden intends to offer clemency to illegal immigrants.
In footage captured on social media, thousands of migrants are currently marching towards the U.S. border, some of whom violently clashed with Guatemalan security forces who used riot gear to push them back.
Caravan from Honduras busting through Guatemala Border in route to the USApic.twitter.com/ZSdFqGLzxb
— Drew Hernandez (@DrewHLive) January 16, 2021
Under the Trump administration, migrant caravans made major news headlines after the president enacted policies to stem the flow of illegal immigrants into the U.S.
On social media, many are blaming Biden’s soft proposed policies for the reemergence of the migrant caravans. “The migrant caravans/9,000+ people coming to the US border from Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico, is a direct result of Biden’s radical Border plan that promises no deportations for 100 days, and citizenship for 11M illegals. These flawed policies reward people who break our laws,” wrote Amanda Makki, a GOP congressional candidate for Florida.
The Mexican National Guard deployed at the Suchiate River on Mexico’s southern border in response to the incoming migrant caravan.
#ProtecciónNoDetención #ÉxodoCentroamericano
— IMUMI (@IMUMIDF) January 16, 2021
⚠️ Reiteramos nuestra preocupación sobre papel de @GN_MEXICO_ en detención de personas migrantes. Destacamos recomendación 50/2020 d @CNDH por actuar d GN en respuesta a caravana d enero 2020.
📹: César Solis
➡️ https://t.co/OcSIFRWsef pic.twitter.com/9yqUdD07Sg
Reportedly, Biden intends to offer legal status to an estimated 11 million immigrants who entered the United States illegally.
According to the Associated Press, the President-elect will announce a pathway to legal citizenship for millions on his first day in office.
The Daily Wire reports that the caravan is calling on the incoming Biden administration to honor its “commitments” to the migrants, according to a statement by Pueblo Sin Fronteras, which spoke on behalf of the caravan. The group cited Biden’s promise to eliminate Trump’s restrictions on illegal immigration.
Speaking to NBC News, an unnamed Biden official said that the illegal immigrants “need to understand they’re not going to be able to come into the United States immediately.”
“The situation at the border isn’t going to be transformed overnight,” he said. “We have to provide a message that health and hope is on the way, but coming right now does not make sense for their own safety… while we put into place processes that they may be able to access in the future.”
Biden has vowed to eliminate Trump’s Migrant Protection Protocols, which require migrants to stay in Mexico while they await political asylum hearings in court. Biden plans to make illegal immigrants eligible for legal permanent residence after five years, and for American citizenship three years after.
Biden’s proposals would first have to go through Congress, and would be the first time illegal immigrants were granted mass amnesty since President Ronald Reagan gave amnesty to nearly three million Cuban nationals in 1986.

Ian Miles Cheong
Contributor
Ian Miles Cheong is a freelance writer, graphic designer, journalist and videographer. He’s kind of a big deal on Twitter.
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