TUESDAY December 28, 2021: 'ROAD to Nowhere' from ZUMA Press award winning photographer Richard Tsong-Taatarii: Several thousand Haitian migrants are clustered outside a stadium in southern Mexico that has been re-purposed into a migration office, urging authorities to let them pass freely through Mexico. Two caravans of migrants largely from Haiti and Central America have departed from the southern city of Tapachula in recent weeks, many taking off on foot for the long journey in hopes of reaching the U.S.- Mexico border. The rise in the number of Haitians trying to make their way through Mexico has been spurred by economic malaise, an earthquake and political turmoil following the assassination of Haitian President Moise in July. UN Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration said: 'Today, there are over 258 million migrants around the world living outside their country of birth. This figure is expected to grow for a number of reasons including population growth, increasing connectivity, trade, rising inequality, demographic imbalances and climate change, statement. Welcome to 'ROAD to Nowhere'
© Story of the Week #819: TUESDAY December 28, 2021: 'ROAD to Nowhere' from ZUMA Press award winning photographer Richard Tsong-Taatarii: Several thousand Haitian migrants are clustered outside a stadium in southern Mexico that has been re-purposed into a migration office, urging authorities to let them pass freely through Mexico. Two caravans of migrants largely from Haiti and Central America have departed from the southern city of Tapachula in recent weeks, many taking off on foot for the long journey in hopes of reaching the U.S.- Mexico border. The rise in the number of Haitians trying to make their way through Mexico has been spurred by economic malaise, an earthquake and political turmoil following the assassination of Haitian President Moise in July. UN Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration said: 'Today, there are over 258 million migrants around the world living outside their country of birth. This figure is expected to grow for a number of reasons including population growth, increasing connectivity, trade, rising inequality, demographic imbalances and climate change, statement. Welcome to 'ROAD to Nowhere'

A local police officer tells a Haitian migrant to leave the premises of the Olympic Stadium which is no longer available as a place to camp in Tapachula. The officers tell migrants that their options include camping in another park or in the forest.
© Richard Tsong-Taatarii/ZUMA Press Wire

A couple Haitian fathers and their children search for another place to camp as the Olympic Stadium has been barred as a campground in Tapachula. Across the street is a gated community of luxury homes.
© Richard Tsong-Taatarii/ZUMA Press Wire

CHRISNER MATHIEW, 28, and MACKENSON PIERRE, 31, are musicians and devoted Christians are camping on the streets with thousands of other Haitians. They made the journey from Chile together enduring robbers and other dangerous elements along the way to Tapachula. They both left Haiti in 2014 and made their way to Chile to find work. Decades of political and economic and instability have forced Haitians to find a way to survive abroad. Many have lived in Brazil, Chile and other South Americans countries before making a perilous journey to Tapachula, Mexico through Central America.
© Richard Tsong-Taatarii/ZUMA Press Wire

Young child DAVID ASYOU endures the heat and lack of proper housing as his aunt MIRLANDE tries to calm him in a makeshift camp under a tree in Tapachula. The option to camp at the Olympic Stadium has been closed to migrants with thousands resorting to make their homes on the streets.
© Richard Tsong-Taatarii/ZUMA Press Wire

PIERRE GUITEMBERT and his son CHRISTIAN, 2, are living in a makeshift camp on private property off the streets in Tapachula. He left Haiti in 2020 and is trying to make his way to the United States.
© Richard Tsong-Taatarii/ZUMA Press Wire

A mother and her son camp out on the porch of a private property in Tapachula. The option to camp at the Olympic Stadium has been closed to migrants with thousands resorting to make their homes on the streets.
© Richard Tsong-Taatarii/ZUMA Press Wire

A resident leaves his home in a neighborhood where thousands of migrants are camping out on the streets in Tapachula. The migrants are hiding their face to protect their identity. The option to camp at the Olympic Stadium has been closed to migrants with thousands resorting to make their homes on the streets.
© Richard Tsong-Taatarii/ZUMA Press Wire

Haitian migrants take advantage of the only free source of water to bath and wash their clothes in a river near their road side encampments in the southern part of the city in Tapachula. The encampment is over 1 km long and has over 10,000 individuals living without running water, food, or sanitation.
© Richard Tsong-Taatarii/ZUMA Press Wire

The Mexican National Guard changes shift as they keep an eye on a small encampment of migrants outside the Ecological Park in Tapachula. This encampments only advantage is the shade of some trees and the presence of portable toilets.
© Richard Tsong-Taatarii/ZUMA Press Wire

Haitian migrants take advantage of the only free source of water to bath and wash their clothes in a river near their road side encampments in the southern part of the city in Tapachula.
© Richard Tsong-Taatarii/ZUMA Press Wire

Haitian migrants take advantage of the only free source of water to bathe and wash their clothes in a river near their road side encampments in the southern part of the city in Tapachula.
© Richard Tsong-Taatarii/ZUMA Press Wire

Haitian migrant Marie THERESE JOSEPH, 36, wonders why the Mexican government is treating them like animals. On a road side encampment in the southern part of the city in Tapachula. She has been here in Tapachula for four months but the government will not provide her papers or transportation to leave northward. The encampment is over 1 km long and has over 10,000 individuals living without running water, food, or sanitation. Decades of political and economic and instability have forced Haitians to find a way to survive abroad. Many have lived in Brazil, Chile and other South Americans countries before making a perilous journey to Tapachula, Mexico through Central America.
© Richard Tsong-Taatarii/ZUMA Press Wire

Haitian migrants including DARLINE CHERIZA and her son DONLEY,1, queue up in the hope of catching a bus provided by National Institute of Migration by the side of the a highway on the Southside of Tapachula. The encampment swells to several thousands and up to one kilometer long. It has been plagued with a lack of water, food, and sanitation.
© Richard Tsong-Taatarii/ZUMA Press Wire

Haitian migrants including JEAN MILOT and his sick eight-month old Mikael camp with the hope of catching bus provided by National Institute of Migration by the side of the a highway in Chiapas. The encampment swells to several thousand and up to one kilometer long. It has been plagued with a lack of water, food, and sanitation. The slow deployment of buses headed northbound has frustrated the thousands of Haitians and other migrants unhoused in the city.
© Richard Tsong-Taatarii/ZUMA Press Wire Service

Haitian migrants including JEAN MILOT and his sick eight-month old Mikael camp with the hope of catching bus provided by National Institute of Migration by the side of the a highway in Chiapas, Mexico. The encampment swells to several thousand and up to one kilometer long. It has been plagued with a lack of water, food, and sanitation. The slow deployment of buses headed northbound has frustrated the thousands of Haitians and other migrants unhoused in the city.
© Richard Tsong-Taatarii/ZUMA Press Wire

Haitian migrants queue up at the Ecological Park to get permits from the National Institute of Migration.The slow deployment of permits and/or buses headed northbound has frustrated the thousands of Haitians and other migrants unhoused in Chiapas.
© Richard Tsong-Taatarii/ZUMA Press Wire

A National Guard soldier reacts to a young migrant child as Haitian migrants queue up at the Ecological Park to get permits from the National Institute of Migration.The slow deployment of permits and/or buses headed northbound has frustrated the thousands of Haitians and other migrants unhoused in Chiapas.
© Richard Tsong-Taatarii/ZUMA Press Wire

Migrant Haitians MISSELAINE JEAN BAPTISTE and her children SANTIAGO, 1, and ESTELLE, 3, wait to board a bus Northbound on the side of a highway in Chiapas. Some have camped out for up to 14 days. It is especially taxing on children who catch a cold sleeping on the ground.
© Richard Tsong-Taatarii/ZUMA Press Wire

ROXANNA MIGUEL LOPEZ and her daughter JOCELYN, 8 collect plastic bottles for recycling that can earn them 6 dollars a day at the Ecological Park where other migrants are waiting to get permission to travel northbound, in Chiapas, Mexico. Lopez was brought here as a child by her father from Guatemala. She has permanent residence in Mexico. In the background, a Haitian migrant has decided to stay in Tapachula to cater food to other migrants.
© Richard Tsong-Taatarii/ZUMA Press Wire

Migrant Haitians wait to board a bus Northbound on the side of a highway in Chiapas. Some have camped out for up to 14 days. Decades of political and economic and instability have forced Haitians to find a way to survive abroad. Many have lived in Brazil, Chile and other South Americans countries before making a perilous journey to Tapachula, Mexico through Central America.
© Richard Tsong-Taatarii/ZUMA Press Wire

Migrant Haitians wait to board a bus Northbound on the side of a highway in Chiapas. Some have camped out for up to 14 days. It is especially taxing on children who catch a cold sleeping on the ground. The encampment has in the past swelled up to several thousand and up to one kilometer long. It has been plagued with a lack of water, food, and sanitation.
© Richard Tsong-Taatarii/ZUMA Press Wire

Migrant Haitians are directed by National Guard troops to board a bus Northbound on the side of a highway in Chiapas. Some have camped out for up to 14 days. It is especially taxing on children who catch a cold sleeping on the ground. The encampment has in the past swelled up to several thousand and up to one kilometer long.
© Richard Tsong-Taatarii/ZUMA Press Wire

A man seen pleading with National Guard troops, as migrant Haitians wait to board a bus Northbound on the side of a highway in Chiapas. The slow deployment of buses headed northbound has frustrated the thousands of Haitians and other migrants unhoused in the city.
© Richard Tsong-Taatarii/ZUMA Press Wire

Migrant Haitians anxiously wait to board a bus Northbound on the side of a highway in Chiapas. Some have camped out for up to 14 days. It is especially taxing on children who catch a cold sleeping on the ground.
© Richard Tsong-Taatarii/ZUMA Press Wire

Wearing face masks and carrying young children and their belongings, a Migrant Haitian family waits to board a bus Northbound on the side of a highway in Chiapas, Mexico.
© Richard Tsong-Taatarii/ZUMA Press Wire

Migrant Haitians board a bus Northbound on the side of a highway in Chiapas, watched by Mexican National Guard troops in riot gear. The slow deployment of buses headed northbound has frustrated the thousands of Haitians and other migrants unhoused in the city.
© Richard Tsong-Taatarii/ZUMA Press Wire

Migrant Haitians wait to board a bus Northbound on the side of a highway in Chiapas. Some have camped out for up to 14 days. It is especially taxing on children who catch a cold sleeping on the ground. The encampment has in the past swelled up to several thousand and up to one kilometer long. It has been plagued with a lack of water, food, and sanitation. The slow deployment of buses headed northbound has frustrated the thousands of Haitians and other migrants unhoused in the city. Decades of political and economic and instability have forced Haitians to find a way to survive abroad. Many have lived in Brazil, Chile and other South Americans countries before making a perilous journey to Tapachula, Mexico through Central America.
© Richard Tsong-Taatarii/ZUMA Press Wire

A Haitian family crosses the Suchiate River on a makeshift rubber raft from Guatemala into Mexico with the help of several coyotes. Decades of political and economic and instability have forced Haitians to find a way to survive abroad. Many have lived in Brazil, Chile and other South Americans countries before making a perilous journey to Tapachula, Mexico through Central America.
© Richard Tsong-Taatarii/ZUMA Press Wire