Bus ticket sales to Cuban migrants in a border state of Mexico are being denied

The bus lines in Monclova, a city in the border state of Coahuila, refuse to sell tickets to foreigners, even those with legal documents, leaving many migrants, primarily Cubans and Venezuelans, stranded on their journey to the United States.

Daniel González Méndez, president of the Human Rights Commission in Monclova, warned this Thursday that the affected Cubans and Venezuelans are getting stuck because the bus station lines are not selling them tickets, and they cannot walk 300 kilometers to the border, reported the Facebook page Alerta Roja Monclova.

According to the official, the incident represents a violation of human rights that leaves the only option as a constitutional remedy.

González explained that Cubans and Venezuelans have a document issued by immigration authorities; however, at the bus terminal, "the staff, noticing their accent and skin color, denies them ticket sales, and even with that document, the drivers prevent them from boarding."

The drivers justify their refusal by claiming that "they fear that bringing foreigners on board the bus could lead to being jailed or experiencing issues at their workplace, which is why they prevent foreigners from boarding."

The municipal official explained that, in light of this situation, migrants are consulting with the bus company staff about how to reach the border of Coahuila with the United States, and they are told that they must do so on foot, "which is outrageous considering the temperatures exceed 43 degrees and the distance is 300 kilometers to their border destination."

Finally, the human rights councilor emphasized that the Secretary of the Interior, through the National Migration Institute, issues a photo ID to migrants that allows them to travel to the northern border, “but unfortunately, this is not respected, both by the authorities and by staff at the bus terminal.”

Recently, members of the U.S. Border Patrol reported concerns about an increase in the number of people attempting to cross through more dangerous migration routes, where some unfortunately suffer fatal consequences.

These concerns arise from the measures approved by U.S. President Joe Biden, which prevent irregular migrants from receiving asylum in the United States after crossing the border illegally. The collapse of the CBP One mobile application has driven migrants to attempt to slip through and enter the country via more dangerous and difficult routes.