Caravan of 1,500 migrants forms in Mexico

The caravan, made up of men, women and young children mostly from Central and South America, on Wednesday traveled through the city of Tapachula, located in southern Mexico, just over the border from Guatemala where thousands of migrants are stranded because they do not have permission to cross further into Mexico.

Some are hoping to catch rides to help them on their journey, while others will make the arduous trip to the southern border by foot in the searing heat.

"It is going to be more difficult, that's why we are going in hopes of getting an appointment quicker so we are able to cross before he (Trump) takes office," Yotzeli Peña, 23, a migrant from Venezuela tells the Associated Press. "That would be easier."

Trump has promised to seal the southern border due to the unprecedented flow of migrants into the U.S. over the last three and a half years. 

Additionally, he has also pledged to end the use of parole programs by the Biden administration that allow migrants to enter in via the expanded "lawful pathways."

Numbers have been dropping sharply at the border since June, when President Biden signed a presidential proclamation drastically limiting the number of arrivals who can come into the U.S.

In September, there were 101,790 encounters at the border, the lowest number since February 2021, and there have been no major signs of a significant increase in numbers since then.

However, while numbers remain lower than in previous months, there have been concerns that the change in administrations may lead to a surge at the border as migrants attempt to enter the U.S. before a perceived tougher administration enters office. 

Initially, the app was only available to migrants in northern and central Mexico, but officials changed it to include those at the southern border.

By extending the app south to Tapachula, officials hoped it would stem the rush north. But some migrants still want to be close to the border so that if they do get one of the cherished appointments, they can get to it quickly and not risk missing it. 

Fox News' Adam Shaw, Michael Lee and The Associated Press contributed to this report.