Many of the migrants said they wanted to settle in large Mexican cities where they could find work and file asylum claims. Some reported being unable to get responses for asylum claims in Tapachula despite spending months there. This departure follows a pattern of failed caravans, including one in March that dissolved after 12 days. During President Claudia Sheinbaum's administration, 18 migrant caravans have left Tapachula, and none has made it past the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca.
Haitians account for a quarter of asylum petitions filed in Mexico, with 127,000 Haitians filing between 2020 and 2024. Jean Baptiste Gensley, a 37-year-old Haitian, fled Haiti after gang violence in November 2024. He traveled through multiple countries before crossing into Mexico, initially aiming for the U.S. but choosing Mexico due to restrictions under U.S. administrations. After arriving in Tapachula, he applied for assistance but waited months without news.
As thousands of Haitians arrive in Tapachula, many are trapped in dysfunctional immigration systems. Trump has expressed hostility towards Haiti and restricted asylum seekers at the U.S.-Mexico border. Since 2010, Haitians in the U.S. have been eligible for temporary protected status due to disasters and violence.