Mexico has repatriated 105 Central American migrants, who were waiting to cross into the U.S. but asked to return home, the National Institute of Migration tweeted on Wednesday.
The migrants, most of whom are believed to be Hondurans, formed part of a caravan of about 5,800 people, who arrived in the border city of Tijuana two weeks ago.
The caravan travelled more than 4,500 kilometres after its first members departed northern Honduras on Oct. 13.
Most of the migrants are lodged at a sports stadium where they do not have sufficient food, water of health services, rights group Amnesty International said Tuesday.
A growing number of them are suffering from respiratory diseases, Amnesty added.
The U.S. is handling thousands of asylum applications, many of them lodged before the arrival of the caravan, at a pace of 70 applications per day, according to Amnesty.
Human rights activist, Deji Adeyanju arrested by Nigeria Police
More than 600 of the caravan members have legalised their status in Mexico in order to work there, the Mexican government said.
Mexico this week deported 98 migrants, who were detained after about 500 people tried to storm the U.S. border over the weekend.
U.S. security forces used tear gas to turn them back, prompting Mexico to request an investigation into the use of “non-lethal weapons” on the border.
Representatives of Mexico’s president-elect Andres Obrador, who will be sworn in on Saturday, have denied the existence of an agreement with the U.S. that would force asylum seekers to remain in Mexico while their cases are being processed.