Young Central American Migrants See Biden Era as Chance to Enter U.S.

Late last month, Honduran teenager Elder Cruz was detained by Mexican immigration authorities near Mexico’s southern border with Guatemala and deported to Honduras.

But that isn’t stopping the 15-year-old, an orphan who says he plans to try his luck at the U.S. border again in the coming months because “[Donald] Trump is no longer president of the U.S. and there’s a new one,” even though he doesn’t know the name of President Biden.

“My friends have told me that with the new president, it will be easier to enter the U.S.,” said Mr. Cruz, who lives in the violent Villeda Morales slum near the Honduran city of San Pedro Sula.

Across parts of Mexico and Central America, the source of most illegal immigration to the U.S., many would-be migrants don’t follow the ins and outs of U.S. immigration policy. But many agree on one thing: It is probably easier to get in with Mr. Biden than with Mr. Trump.

Accurate or not, that perception is a key factor in fueling the increasing numbers of unaccompanied minors and families currently turning up at the border. In January, 5,707 minors, mostly teenagers, arrived at the border alone, up from 4,855 the month before. That number is expected to jump again when February data is released this week.