Almost 9,000 migrants hoping to reach the U.S. through various caravans have registered for temporary asylum and work visas in Mexico but only 500 have been granted status, officials say.
Mexican officials told Fox News Wednesday that 8,446 people have registered for temporary status in the county while they wait for their claims to be heard in the U.S.
But tensions are rising along the Guatemala-Mexico border since many of the caravans lack food and shelter.
“I got a feeling that this is going to explode in a few days because there is a lot of people coming still and the process for the visa is getting long... people are tired of being in this line, thirsty and hungry,” Honduran migrant Jorge Santos told Fox News.
The Mexican government has promised to allow migrant groups traveling to the U.S. to apply for temporary status as long as they remain orderly.
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But the large influx of migrants has delayed the process, which normally requires five days of processing. Officials say that of the nearly 9,000 applicants, only 500 have been granted status or work visas.
The numbers are expected to grow as another caravan of about 2,000 people has made it into the northern part of Oaxaca as it sets its sights on Tijuana – the same track the last caravan took in October.