Mexico surges troops to the border to stop 'Way of the Cross' migrant caravan ... trends now
Hundreds of federal, state and local Mexican law enforcement have arrived on the border near El Paso, Texas to prevent a migrant caravan with an estimated 2,000 people from reaching the US.
Mexican officials paraded federal immigration agents and other law enforcement officers in front of cameras this week in Juarez, the Mexican city just south of El Paso.
The show of force is part of an on-going agreement between President Joe Biden and Mexico's president for Mexico to do its part in securing the border and has been used in January as well.
At least 200 National Migration Institute or INM agents have been activated to cut off a group of 2,000 migrants calling themselves the 'Way of the Cross' caravan left Chiapas, Mexico last week and are closing in on the US.
About 1,000 migrants had already reached Chihuahua City, which is a few hours drive or a few days walk, the main form of transportation for most migrants, from Texas, El Paso district attorney Bill Hicks revealed.
Mexico surges law enforcement to the border to stop migrants from reaching El Paso, Texas
200 Mexican federal agents are now in Juarez, just south of El Paso
The operation is part of an agreement between the US and Mexico
As part of the security operation, checkpoints were set up in the town of Jimenez, reported Mexican media outlets.
Cars and buses are being checked to make sure migrants headed to the border were taken into custody with the final goal of deporting them.
A special response team was dispatched to Gate 36, a marker at the border wall in El Paso where a migrant riot broke out March 21.
'We have a group of close to 1,000 that's left Chihuahua City that is making its way to El Paso with instructions to go to Gate 36,' El Paso's DA, who is prosecuting over 200 migrants charged in the stampede, stated earlier this week.
'I'm concerned that if we don't send that message that you can't come to Gate 36 or some other place in El Paso and perpetrate violence to get into the United States, that we can stop them.'
The migrant stampede last month turned violent as migrants overpowered Texas National Guard members, stomping on troops, punching one in the face, and trying to wrestle away the
