Gobierno de Mexico

Mexican officials and leaders of a so-called migrant caravan signed an agreement on Thursday, Dec. 16, 2021, to give more than 400 migrants legal documents allowing them to stay in the country or continue making their journey north.

A group of migrants in Mexico City signed an agreement with Mexican officials Thursday, after a protest in front of the National Palace.

Hundreds of migrants who had traveled together from Mexico’s southern border to the capital city will have access to expedited legal documents, according to an agreement signed by government officials and group leaders.

Often called a caravan, the group of about 450 migrants are mostly from Central America and Haiti. Some may seek humanitarian visas to stay in Mexico, while others could get other forms allowing them to continue traveling north.

The agreement comes after migrants protested on Thursday to demand the Mexican government change policies that have increased the dangers and hardship of traveling through the country. Mexico has cracked down on migration in recent years, deploying thousands of soldiers and National Guard troops to its borders.