Mexico to give humanitarian visas to children, pregnant people

Mexico’s government announced Thursday that it will extend humanitarian visas to children and pregnant women in a migrant caravan traveling north of its southern border, Reuters reported. 

With the visas, migrants will have access to employment as well as health care and other public services, according to Reuters. 

An eyewitness told the news agency that the latest caravan consists mainly of families with young children. 

Reports from the prior weekend found thousands of migrants from Central America and the Caribbean advancing toward the border in hopes of reaching the U.S. or Mexico City.

At that time, as a caravan traveled through a checkpoint near the Guatemalan border, 400 law enforcement officers in anti-riot gear moved to block its path. Reuters reported that the confrontation turned physical; a small family, including children, was knocked to the ground.

A Mexican official told Reuters that authorities have no desire for the situation to turn violent, however, as there are a number of children and pregnant people in the caravan.

This news comes as Republican lawmakers criticize President Biden for insufficient action on illegal immigration. 

Reuters noted that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is apprehending a record number of migrants at the border.