EL PASO, Texas (Border Report) – With children sleeping on the side of roads and families washing up in a river, a Haitian and Central American migrant caravan continues to make its way north from Southern Mexico.
The thousands-strong caravan organized by activist Irineo Mujica on Tuesday took a day of rest in the town of Huixtla, Chapas, several sources reported. Social media videos show single adults and families with small children enduring rain on the way to the town and spending the night on the street and in a crowded church.
Migrants spread their clothes out to dry as others bathe in the Huixtla River, Chiapas state, Mexico, Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2021, as they take a day of rest before continuing their trek across southern Mexico to the U.S. border. (AP Photo / Marco Ugarte) 
A migrant bathes in the Huixtla River, Chiapas state, Mexico, Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2021, as a migrant caravan takes a day of rest before continuing their trek across southern Mexico to the U.S. border. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte) 
Migrants, mostly from Central America, sleep-in on the street in Huixtla, Chiapas state, Mexico, at daybreak Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2021, as they use the day to rest during their trek by foot toward the U.S. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte) 
Migrants start waking up on the street in Huixtla, Chiapas state, Mexico, at daybreak Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2021, as they use the day to rest during their trek by foot toward the U.S. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte) 
Migrants, mostly from Central America, sleep-in on the street in Huixtla, Chiapas state, Mexico, at sunrise Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2021, as they use the day to rest during their trek by foot toward the U.S. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte) 
Migrants, mostly from Central America, use the day to rest in Huixtla, Chiapas state, Mexico, early Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2021, during their trek by foot toward the U.S. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte) 
Migrants sleep-in on the street in Huixtla, Chiapas state, Mexico, at sunrise Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2021, as they use the day to rest during their trek by foot toward the U.S. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte) 
A volunteer providing first aide, wraps the foot of a migrant who is part of a caravan taking a day of rest before continuing their trek across southern Mexico to the U.S. border, in Huixtla, Chiapas state, Mexico, Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2021. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte) 
Migrants who are part of caravan cross a railroad track in Huixtla, Chiapas state, Mexico, Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2021, on a day of rest before continuing their trek across southern Mexico to the U.S. border. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte) 
A child is held by an adult amid a migrant group breaking up camp after sleeping on the street in Huixtla, Chiapas state, Mexico, at daybreak Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2021, as they use the day to rest during their ongoing trek by foot toward the U.S. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)
The caravan left the Mexican city of Tapachula near the Guatemala border on Saturday morning, brushing aside dozens of Mexican National Guard troops manning a roadblock north of the city. Mujica says the multitude is headed to Mexico City but many of the migrants have openly stated their goal is to reach the U.S. border.
Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard told reporters the migrants are under the erroneous assumption that the United States will let them past its border just because they arrive as a group.
“They’re saying, ‘let’s go in the caravan. We arrive at the U.S. border and they will let us pass.’ That is not true,” Ebrard said at a news conference in Mexico City. “We saw what happened recently with the Haitians (at Del Rio, Texas). It was the same thing, ‘come over and this time (you’ll pass).’”
Ebrard said Mexican authorities are monitoring the caravan but have decided “to act with prudence” so as to not be accused of using excessive force or violating people’s human rights.
However, “we do want to say they are deceiving people. That is true,” Ebrard said.
The foreign minister said it was unfortunate to see many children walking nonstop for miles next to their parents or relatives in the caravan.