Despite being stranded in CDMX, migrants dream of reaching the US before Trump takes power

César Arellano García

La Jornada Newspaper
Monday, December 9, 2024, p. 5

Despite Donald Trump’s threats to expel migrants, refugees from the Clave Vallejo camp, in the Gustavo A. Madero mayor’s office, affirm that their goal is to reach the north of the country to cross the Mexican border with the United States before the tycoon assume the presidency. However, they hope that on December 18, International Migrant Day, authorities will release permits for them to circulate throughout the country.

The Day He toured the camp, installed next to the train tracks, where around 1,500 foreigners in transit, children, women and men, live in dozens of cardboard and wood houses. They are mainly from Ecuador, Venezuela, Colombia, Honduras, Cuba and Haiti. Due to the overcrowded conditions, some even sleep outside the improvised homes, feeling cold due to the low temperatures. They mentioned that a few days ago a minor suffered hypothermia, they transferred her to a closer clinic where she received medical attention.

The majority agreed that their journey to the neighboring country to the north it has been very difficult: days without eating, without sleeping properly, several were assaulted or witnessed different violations, including their human rights, mainly due to discrimination.

Our goal is to reach the United States, we have been here for approximately five months. The situation has been tough. Too cold. I am mothers of three children, I have a girl with visual disabilities. The goal is to get there so that the doctors can treat her. We are waiting for the appointment to give us the transit permit. If we can’t get there we will ask for asylum in Mexico. Trump’s words destroy many dreams. Many people intend to cross the border. We feel grateful because although for many neighbors coexistence is not pleasant, it is uncomfortable that we are here, but we have also received support from many peopleadmitted Dora Luis Montiel.

Ángel David Moreno is Colombian and is 30 years old. He arrived at the camp that was set up on the side of the train tracks eight months ago. Emigrating from the country is difficult. We go out out of necessity, work. Everyone experiences different issues, each of us here does not want to leave our place of origin. We are very grateful to the Mexican because he gives you a hand, that’s how you survive, people support you. They know the need of the migrant. I want to come to the United States to work. If in my country there were good salaries and the poor did not have so much need, we would stay, but that is not the case. The dream of every migrant is to help mom and family.

During the tour, children were observed playing in the dirt or with a gifted doll, they also petted temporarily adopted dogs or cats. The adults talked or remained sitting and lying on old armchairs or beds in very poor condition that they placed outside the houses built with recycled materials.

A woman who said her name was Yuzmari expressed that her children and husband have been stuck in Mexico for several months, because, like hundreds of migrants, they are waiting for a response to the procedure they carry out through the CBP One application, and with it the offices of the Institute National Immigration Office grants them an exit permit and arrives in the north of the country on time. We are not used to living like this, practically on the street, it is an environment that is not suitable for children or any human being, we look like homeless people. We do not want to stay in Mexico City, we want to move forward, we have already suffered a lot.

Edwar, 29, is from Venezuela and cuts hair to earn a little money. Here you survive by working, brother, although people support you, you have to earn your food. The situation in our country makes us look for other options to help our families. In my house I am the only one outside. Trump is lowering our morale more and more, but we will get therehe stated.

Getting here is hard, since many bad things have happened to us, but here we are. Along the way there were many people who were kidnapped, abused and there is also a lot of crime.lamented Natali Garcés, from Colombia, who placed a Christmas tree outside the cardboard house she lives in to preserve traditions.