The caravan of about 150 Central American migrants who are seeking asylum in the United States arrived at the U.S.-Mexico border on Sunday.
Several of the migrants were seen scaling and straddling the border wall, and they are reportedly very determined to enter the U.S. after being denied thus far, sparking some rumblings of a possible “border showdown.”
Further proof we need a wall? Migrant caravan members scale the border wall to enter the U.S. days after President Trump threatens a government shutdown over wall funding pic.twitter.com/mjDf9ehG9y
— FOX & friends (@foxandfriends) April 30, 2018
Migrants made their way from Tijuana to San Diego on Sunday morning, toward International Friendship Park on the countries’ border. Migrants have so far been denied entry into the U.S., as officials say the border crossing is at capacity.
It was reported that some of the caravan’s migrants had begun crossing the border into the U.S. but were turned away before they could be processed.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection was said to be limiting the number of asylum seekers. It was also reported that the U.S. was not allowing the migrants to enter the country.
Caravan Migrants Push for Asylum pic.twitter.com/Bqxmx7BMLd
— Fox News (@FoxNews) April 30, 2018
U.S. Customs and Border Protection planned to limit the number of asylum-seekers making claims at the San Ysidro port of entry.
“Depending upon [San Ysidro] port circumstances at the time of arrival, those individuals may need to wait in Mexico as CBP officers work to process those already within our facilities,” CBP Commissioner Kevin McAleenan said.
President Trump had recently instructed the Department of Homeland Security not to allow caravans of people traveling from Central America to cross the border into the U.S.
The caravans were moving through Mexico and carried as many as 1,500 migrants who intended on coming to the States.
The President made the announcement on Twitter, where he also criticized the Democrats and the current sanctuary city laws in many of the border states.
“Despite the Democrat inspired laws on Sanctuary Cities and the Border being so bad and one sided, I have instructed the Secretary of Homeland Security not to let these large Caravans of people into our Country. It is a disgrace. We are the only Country in the World so naive! WALL,” Trump tweeted last week.
Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen issued a statement supporting the President’s request.
“DHS continues to monitor the remnants of the ‘caravan’ of individuals headed to our Southern border with the apparent intention of entering the United States illegally,” Nielsen said in a statement, according to Fox News. “A sovereign nation that cannot — or worse, chooses not — to defend its borders will soon cease to be a sovereign nation. The Trump Administration is committed to enforcing our immigration laws – whether persons are part of this ‘caravan’ or not.”
“Mexico, whose laws on immigration are very tough, must stop people from going through Mexico and into the U.S. We may make this a condition of the new NAFTA Agreement. Our Country cannot accept what is happening! Also, we must get Wall funding fast,” the President added.
The President also deployed hundreds of National Guard troops to the southern states in April.
While Texas, New Mexico and Arizona fully embraced the President’s memorandum, California Gov. Jerry Brown said last week that he would allow troops at the border only if they refrained from any kind of immigration enforcement.
