Migrants Sew Mouths Shut In Protest Against Immigration Policies

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Weds. April 26, 2023: Migrants in Mexico have resorted to extreme measures to draw attention to their plight as they seek to enter the United States. Recently, a group of migrants has sewn their mouths shut in protest against the Mexican government’s policies and their treatment at the hands of authorities.

Yodanni Hernandez from Cuba has his mouth sewn shut in a protest action. Migrants thereby protested against Mexico’s restrictive immigration policy. The migrants are part of a group of around 3,000 people from the Caribbean, Central and South America who had set off north from southern Mexico on Sunday. Photo: Isaac Guzman/dpa (Photo by Isaac Guzman/picture alliance via Getty Images)

The incident took place in Tapachula, a city in the southern Mexican state of Chiapas, where thousands of migrants have been stuck for months waiting for their asylum requests to be processed. Frustrated with the lack of progress and the harsh living conditions, the migrants decided to sew their mouths shut and stage a hunger strike.

A child watches as Deborah Sofia from Venezuela has her mouth sewn shut in a protest. Migrants did so to protest Mexico’s restrictive immigration policies. The six migrants are part of a group of about 3,000 people from the Caribbean, Central and South America who had set off north from southern Mexico on Sunday. Photo: Isaac Guzman/dpa (Photo by Isaac Guzman/picture alliance via Getty Images)

The Guardian reports that the protesters were from Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala, and included women and children. The group had been living in a makeshift camp outside the Mexican immigration offices in Tapachula, enduring heat, rain, and unsanitary conditions while waiting for their papers to be processed.

The migrants have accused the Mexican government of neglecting their needs and violating their human rights. They claim that they have been subjected to arbitrary detention, extortion, and violence at the hands of Mexican authorities, and that their basic needs for food, shelter, and medical care have been ignored.

The Mexican government has been struggling to deal with the influx of migrants, which has strained resources and raised tensions with the United States. While Mexico has taken steps to provide temporary visas and humanitarian aid to the migrants, many still face lengthy delays and uncertain futures.

The migrants’ protest has drawn attention to the difficult conditions faced by those seeking asylum in Mexico and the United States. It also highlights the desperation of those who feel that they have no other option but to take extreme measures to draw attention to their plight.

In response to the protest, Mexican authorities have promised to investigate the migrants’ claims and to provide assistance where possible. However, with thousands of migrants still waiting for their asylum requests to be processed, it remains to be seen whether these promises will be fulfilled.

The incident in Tapachula is just one example of the challenges faced by migrants in Mexico and the United States. As the global refugee crisis continues to grow, it is clear that more needs to be done to protect the rights and welfare of those who are seeking safety and a better life.