If you’ve followed anything on immigration, you’ll know that the past two years have been a wild ride. 2019 opened by seeing some of the largest cases of illegal immigration in U.S. history. By the time 2020 came around, those numbers had dropped to modern lows.
The extremes are almost entirely the result of policy, and a new policy shift may take things even further. To understand, we have to take a look at a criminal case in El Salvador.
We’re going to focus this story on one case in particular, but before we get too deep, it’s important to understand that Raul Antonio Ventura was not the ultimate mastermind behind the latest caravan.
Instead, he basically worked as a local community organizer. He used social media and other avenues to encourage people to join a caravan originating in San Salvador. He gave advice on what supplies to pack and how to prepare for the journey.
At least 50 people have been identified as joining the caravan at his behest. It’s possible that the real number is higher. If he hadn’t been stopped, it ultimately would have been.
After setting the rendezvous point, Ventura showed up only to be arrested by the police. He has been charged with human trafficking, and he will remain in custody until his trial. He faces up to 8 years in prison if he is convicted.
At this point its unclear whether Ventura was taking money to organize the caravan or just doing for a cause he believed in.
Up until recently, most governments involved have turned a blind eye to the caravans. Within the last year, President Trump has rallied international support from Mexico, Guatemala and El
Salvador to clamp down on illegal caravans.
If community organizers — rather than overt criminal enterprises — can be hit with human trafficking for organizing a migrant caravan, then the entire nature of these events is going to shift.
The international crackdown is taking things more seriously, and there’s now a serious risk for anyone who would try to gather large groups of people to storm borders. The large caravan migration may soon be a thing of the past.
Of course, this battle is far from won. We will have to wait and see how El Salvador continues to move forward. Ventura could end up being a one-off case that is a lazy attempt to placate American pressure.
If it proves to be the first in a consistent effort of stopping organized illegal immigration, then we’ll lasting results that are better for everyone involved.
We may finally reach a day where real refugees can seek help through intended channels since their appeals will no longer be drowned out by single males looking to score economic benefits from hopping a border fence.
