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Mexico vs. ‘The Beast’

The United States can give Mexican officials some credit for working to stem the tide of illegal immigrants flowing through their country and into the United States. In contrast with past practice, Mexico City seems to be more interested in keeping its promises regarding the problem.

It is, after all, a challenge for Mexican officials, too. Most of the illegal immigrants crossing our southern border appear to be from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador. Mexico is merely a transit point for them — our neighbor has its own frustrations in controlling its southern border.

All that said, it is clear the Mexican government could be doing more. “The Beast” makes that obvious.

As The Associated Press reported, “La Bestia”“The Beast,” in English — is the nickname given to an operation involving a long freight train. That mode of transportation has been used in the past by illegal immigrants passing through Mexico. This week, after Mexican authorities raided a migrant caravan on a north-south highway, as many as 400 people boarded a train in Ixtepec. It pulled out of the city, heading north.

Mexican officials’ insistence that they are unable to corral tens of thousands of migrants traveling highways on foot and in vehicles is believable, to an extent.

But a freight train? Unless Mexican authorities are unaware of the locations of railroad tracks running through their country, one wonders why they cannot intercept and stop migrants traveling that way.

Unless and until “The Beast” is stopped, then, U.S. officials will have cause to wonder whether the Mexican government is serious about helping us prevent illegal immigration.

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