US Embassy in El Salvador: Midterm Vote Changes Nothing on US Immigration

Two days after Democrats won sweeping gains in the US midterm elections, the US Embassy in El Salvador published a pointed reminder on social media: US immigration rules have not changed. The statement came as groups of migrants set off from El Salvador and Honduras towards the United States, with some saying the election result gave them new hope of getting in.

Key facts

• The US Embassy in El Salvador posted its reminder two days after the US midterm elections.
• The embassy said the election results do not represent changes to current US immigration policies.
• Dozens of Salvadorans left San Salvador's Western Bus Terminal on Friday for Tecún Umán, on the Guatemala–Mexico border.
• Another caravan left Honduras on Election Day and is already moving through Guatemala.
• Encounters at the US southwest land border fell sharply after Donald Trump took office in 2025.

What did the US Embassy in El Salvador say?

In a Spanish-language post on social media, the embassy stated that "U.S. immigration laws remain in effect" and that the outcome of the midterm elections does not represent a change to current immigration policies. The reminder was issued despite the Democratic result, which some migrants have interpreted as a sign of easier entry ahead.

Who is travelling, and where?

Migrant caravans bound for the United States have been gathering this week from Honduras and El Salvador. On Friday, Beatriz M., travelling from El Salvador with her husband and their children aged 9 and 11, joined dozens of other Salvadorans at the Western Bus Terminal in San Salvador for the journey to Tecún Umán, on the Guatemala–Mexico border.

A bus company employee said the departures did not resemble the usual flow of passengers. On arrival in Tecún Umán, the group intends to link up with other migrants, including the caravan that left Honduras on Election Day and is already crossing Guatemala.

Have US entry rules changed?

No change has been announced. The embassy's message is that existing US immigration law still applies, and the election results do not alter current policies. The article notes that encounters at the US southwest land border fell sharply after President Donald Trump took office in 2025, tightening controls at the border with Mexico and beginning a wave of deportations.

What are migrants hoping for?

Some told CNN they believe a Democratic majority in Congress will make it easier to reach the United States. Santiago, a Honduran who said he has been deported twice from the US, said he hopes the situation will improve for people like him. Juan, a Honduran who lived in the US for 26 years and was deported on 15 September, joined the caravan after seeing it on social media; he said his wife and two children are in the United States.

Not everyone is optimistic. At a border crossing in Guatemala, a man named Aníbal said entering the country illegally ends in deportation whichever party is in charge, and that he would simply try again. Several migrants said poverty and separation from relatives outweigh the risk of deportation: Carlos E., a Salvadoran who left by bus on Friday, said he had been unemployed for four months, while Mauricio S., a young farmer, said work exists but "is not enough to get by".

What this means for travellers

For anyone planning to travel to the United States, the practical point from the embassy's message is that US immigration rules and current policies remain unchanged following the elections. Migrants spoken to for this article travelled as irregular travellers rather than through any visa process.

No further announcements on US immigration policy have been flagged in connection with the election result.