Migrant Group in S. Mexico Heads for US10/21 06:05

   

   TAPACHULA, Mexico (AP) -- A group of about 2,000 migrants left Mexico's 
southern border Sunday hoping to reach the country's north and ultimately the 
United States. The development comes weeks before the U.S. presidential 
election, in which immigration has been a key issue.

   Some migrants, like Venezuelan Joel Zambrano, believe a new administration 
in the U.S. could put an end to asylum appointments through an online system 
called CBP One.

   "That is what makes us fearful. They say this could change because they 
could both close the CBP One appointment and all the services that are helping 
migrants," he said.

   Both the lack of jobs in Mexico's south due to a new wave of incoming 
foreigners and a delay in asylum appointments in the U.S. have motivated more 
groups of migrants to leave the region in the past month.

   "The situation in my country is very bad, the president doesn't do anything 
for us. We spent a week by the border, but getting documents takes time," said 
Honduran Roberto Domnguez, 48. "The documents we get are only for us to be in 
Tapachula and we cannot leave the city."

   The group leaving Sunday was the third and the largest since the beginning 
of the administration of new Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, who so far 
has made no changes in immigration policies established by her predecessor, 
Andrs Manuel Lpez Obrador.

   Groups of 800 and 600 migrants left the region earlier in October.

   Activist Luis Garca Villagrn estimates about 40,000 migrants are currently 
stranded in southern Mexico.