Mexican Cargo Train Derails In Oaxaca Leaving 1,300 US-Bound Migrants Stranded

On Wednesday morning, in the Mexican state of Oaxaca, a cargo train was derailed leaving 1,300 stranded. The train – which takes migrants from Mexico and Central America to the border of the United States – came off the tracks, according to emergency services.

Reuters reports that the vast majority of passengers were young migrants and that there have been no reported injuries in the derailment of the train, which is nicknamed “The Beast.” One of the possible causes for the derailment, according to authorities, is the heavy rain that has been taking place in southern Mexico.

Since last fall, over 50,000 unaccompanied minors from South America (namely El Salvador, Guatemala and the Honduras) have been detained while attempting to illegally cross over to the United States. In fact, according to the Pew Research Center, since last October, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection records taking into custody 47,017 unaccompanied children under the age of 18. The data is shocking considering that the first four months of 2014 have had more apprehensions than in the entire 2013 fiscal year, which had 24,493 apprehensions. Given the current rate, some estimates predict four times as many arrests this year than last year.

Described as an “urgent humanitarian situation” by President Obama, federal agencies are working to provide the apprehended children with food, medical treatment and mental health services. Government officials are reporting that most of the children hail from Mexico and Central America, and are coming to the United States to flee poor economies, violence, or to be reunited with their families.