They were trying to get to the United States. More than 250 migrants were discovered this Sunday in a double semi-trailer bound for the American border in the north of the country, Mexican authorities announced this Sunday. Military-backed immigration agents made the discovery Friday at a checkpoint in Chihuahua state, the Defense Ministry said.
The migrants, of different nationalities, were handed over to immigration to check their status, while the driver was taken into custody by the prosecution, the ministry added. Every year, thousands of migrants fleeing violence and poverty cross Mexico to reach the U.S. border.
Fall in the number of illegal migrants
Transporting migrants hidden in overloaded trucks is one of the most dangerous methods used by smugglers. In 2022, more than 50 migrants suffocated to death after being abandoned in a tractor-trailer crossing the US-Mexico border into Texas. Other migrants attempt to cross the border by joining caravans on foot over vast distances, risking their lives.
The election of Donald Trump has increased concerns among migrants, who fear it will become increasingly difficult to obtain asylum after he takes office in the White House. Illegal entries increased from 250,000 in December to nearly 54,000 last September, according to Democratic President Joe Biden’s administration. This drop comes after Joe Biden ordered, in June, the temporary closure of the border with Mexico as soon as a daily threshold in the number of migrants is reached.