Hundreds of migrants and asylum seekers have launched a march in southern Mexico on March 24, denouncing restrictive immigration policies and growing militarization at the border, as pressure from the United States continues to push for harsher migration enforcement in the region.
An estimated 500 people set out from Tapachula, a key entry point near the Guatemalan border, on Tuesday night, continuing their journey north on foot into Wednesday. The march follows a route commonly taken by migrants entering Mexico, many of whom have found themselves stranded in the southern city due to bureaucratic delays and movement restrictions.
Participants said the protest aimed to highlight the growing difficulties in accessing legal status in Mexico. Long waiting times, restrictions on travel, and lack of employment opportunities have left many unable to move forward or return home.
“Without papers, there are no opportunities. We migrants feel like prisoners in Tapachula,” said Joandri Velazquez Zaragoza, a Cuban migrant participating in the march.
Advocacy groups, including the Southern Border Monitoring Collective, reported that some migrants are being asked to pay thousands of dollars for documents that are officially free, raising concerns about corruption and exploitation within the system.
Activists also warned of increasing militarization along Mexico’s southern and northern borders, which they say has heightened risks for migrants while limiting access to asylum procedures.
The march comes amid mounting evidence of US influence over Mexico’s migration policies. Since returning to office, Donald Trump has intensified mass deportation efforts, while pressuring governments to curb migration flows. As a result, crossings from Mexico into the US have dropped significantly.
At the same time, a US court has raised questions about a possible undisclosed deportation arrangement between the two countries. William Young, a federal judge in Boston, expressed surprise at claims by US officials that Mexico had agreed to accept thousands of deported Cuban nationals.
“Can this be true?” Young wrote in a court order. “There’s some unwritten deal between the sovereign nations… Is this deal secret?”
The US Department of Homeland Security has not publicly clarified the existence of such an agreement.
Observers say these developments point to a broader strategy by Washington to externalize its immigration enforcement, relying on third countries to absorb deportees and limit migrant flows before they reach US territory.
