Authorities located a trailer carrying more than 100 Central American migrants abandoned today in the community of San Marcos, municipality of Santa Clara, Durango. The driver of the vehicle fled before the arrival of emergency personnel.
How were the abandoned migrants found?
The first report was received around 10:30 a.m., according to Arturo Calderón Rueda, mayor of Miguel Auza, Zacatecas. Due to the proximity to the Durango town, members of the Miguel Auza Municipal Civil Protection Coordination were the first to respond.
“They told us there was a trailer on the border between our municipality and San Marcos, Durango. We immediately provided support due to its proximity and verified the condition of the migrants,” said Calderón Rueda.
According to witness accounts, the migrants got out of the trailer on their own and asked the community’s residents for help. Neighbors, noticing the situation, immediately notified authorities by making emergency calls.
However, when rescuers arrived on the scene, the foreigners ran away, mistaking them for personnel from the National Institute of Migration (INM), trying to avoid arrest.
Intervention by federal and state authorities
Later, officers from the Durango State Police and the INM, Durango delegation, arrived in the area. After an official inspection, authorities counted 126 people in shelter, although the initial group is estimated to be larger.
The migrants were taken to the San Marcos communal land hall, where they received water, food, and clothing gathered by the community’s residents. The residents’ gesture of solidarity made it possible to immediately address the basic needs of the Central Americans.
Authorities are continuing an investigation to locate the truck driver, who managed to escape after abandoning the vehicle. Meanwhile, the migrants were taken into official custody to begin the corresponding legal and humanitarian process, in accordance with established protocols for cases of irregular migration.
Mexico urges migrants not to cross into the US
Last month, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE) launched a warning campaign aimed at the Mexican and foreign population to raise awareness about the risks of attempting to cross the border with the United States illegally.
Under the slogan “Don’t expose your life!”, the Ministry emphasized that the extreme weather conditions and geographic characteristics of the border pose a real danger, in addition to legal consequences such as detention and deportation.
Main risks of crossing the border illegally:
Severe dehydration from exposure to extreme desert heat.
Hypothermia due to low nighttime temperatures.
Falls and fractures when attempting to climb the wall or cross dangerous areas.
Death resulting from weather conditions and accidents during the crossing.
Immediate detention and deportation by US authorities.
Source: ejecentral
