A caravan of about 1,500 mainly Central American migrants left Tapachula in Mexico’s southern state of Chiapas on Wednesday, heading initially for Mexico City and eventually hoping to reach the United States. The group had begun its journey in Honduras in October, and migrants from El Salvador, Guatemala, South America and Africa joined along the way. Children and babies were among those travelling. Many migrants reportedly believed, encouraged in part by smugglers, that Democratic gains in the US midterm elections could lead to a change in asylum policy, although US migration restrictions remain in place and crossings still carry a high risk of arrest and deportation.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said her government was trying to explain that US asylum policy had not changed and was offering humanitarian assistance and temporary residence permits. Mexican authorities had not intervened to stop this caravan, unlike some previous groups, while another group of more than 100 Central American migrants was stopped at the Guatemala-Mexico border. US President Donald Trump warned Mexico that it could face additional charges if the caravan continued towards the US border.