In a slow advance through the Mexican state of Chiapas, thousands of migrants and asylum seekers are heading north with the hope of reaching the United States border. This caravan unfolds a day before the visit of U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Homeland Security Chief Alejandro Mayorkas, who will meet with Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador to discuss migration.

The irregular migration situation in the Western Hemisphere will be the central theme of the discussions, according to the Department of State. The meeting follows a phone call between Presidents Joe Biden and López Obrador, where both leaders expressed the need to strengthen law enforcement at the shared border.

The caravan, including families with young children, carries the message "Exodus from Poverty." The number of people crossing the dangerous Darien Gap between Colombia and Central America has doubled from the previous year, surpassing half a million this year.

Officials from Mexico and the United States met to prepare for the leaders' meeting, addressing the migration crisis. The U.S. delegation led by Blinken seeks measures for the reopening of border ports and compliance with the Declaration of Los Angeles, urging legal pathways for migrants.

Faced with a historic surge in undocumented arrivals, the White House is considering the reinstatement of the controversial Title 42, a measure that would allow for the immediate deportation of undocumented individuals without the opportunity to seek asylum, directly impacting Mexico. On the eve of the visit, a caravan of over 10,000 migrants departed from Mexico's southern border towards the United States on Christmas Eve.