Thousands of migrants kept in southern Mexico awaiting US Election Day, ready to cross the border

TAPACHULA, Mexico — This town near the border of Guatemala is facing a migrant crisis that is expected to escalate after the US presidential election.

In December 2023, the Joe Biden-Kamala Harris administration made a diplomatic deal with Mexico to address concerns about the southern border and prevent large crowds gathering at the wall.

Mexico deployed 32,500 troops to the US border to intercept migrants and deport them to southern provinces like Tapachula, leading to a significant decrease in illegal border crossings.

Despite these efforts, Tapachula is overwhelmed with migrants, with estimates of up to 150,000 immigrants in the town at a time. Mexico is attempting to relocate migrants to other cities in Chiapas to alleviate the overcrowding.

The future of the migrant crisis remains uncertain, as Mexican enforcement efforts could change after the US election, potentially leading to a surge in border crossings.

Regardless of the election outcome, Mexico may reevaluate its obligations and the floodgates could potentially open for more migrants to make their way to the US border.

Todd Bensman, a senior national security fellow at the Center for Immigration Studies, is the author of “Overrun: How Joe Biden Unleashed the Greatest Border Crisis in U.S. History.”