SAN DIEGO, Calif. (KGTV) -- Another migrant caravan has left Honduras with the goal of making it to the U.S.-Mexico border.
Over the weekend, an estimated 7,000 to 8,000 migrants clashed with Guatemalan officials as they arrived at the border between the two countries.
Their goal is to head to the United States, but they will first have to attempt to cross through Mexico, which has a migration agreement with the U.S.
"They really kind of clamped down on the southern border, started aggressively interdicting migrants on the route, detaining them, and deporting them," explains Dr. Ev Meade, a professor at the Kroc School of Peace Studies at the University of San Diego.
The migrants say their reasons for joining the caravan include a hunger and homelessness crisis in Honduras, that was only made worse by two category four hurricanes that hit Central America in November.
Mexico's government has deployed its National Guard troops to its southern border with Guatemala to stop the group from entering.
Dr. Meade explains that another caravan is not surprising, but just days away from the Biden administration, he's optimistic the tone around immigration could be different. However, he says the change won't be overnight.
"Anybody that thinks we're just going back to normal and we're never going to hear about caravans and never hear about migration again is fooling themselves- these things are the results of policy failures that have 20 years, 25 years of history behind them," says Dr. Meade.
So far, Biden's team has indicated it will not make immediate changes to policies at the U.S.-Mexico border.
