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(RNS) Honduran migrants encountered tear gas and were struck with sticks as they pushed through lines of Guatemalan soldiers in their trek to reach Mexico and seek asylum in the United States.
They departed from San Pedro Sula, Honduras, early Friday (Jan. 15), but by Tuesday the large caravan had largely dissolved after a dayslong standoff with Guatemalan security forces. Small groups made it toward the Mexican border, while others agreed to be sent back to Honduras on buses arranged by Guatemalan officials.
Faith groups and religious leaders found the violence at the border disturbing and are urging newly inaugurated U.S. President Joe Biden, who has promised to take a different approach to immigration, to steer away from hard-line policies that would make it difficult for migrants to seek asylum. They also urged Guatemalan and Honduran leaders to treat the thousands of Hondurans fleeing their country as a refugee crisis.