President Trump is looking for ways to cut off asylum-seekers and demonize caravan

Ever since the caravan of migrants and asylum-seekers from Honduras left in early October to traverse through Mexico onward to the U.S., President Trump has been looking at ways to stop them from entering and petitioning for asylum. President Trump has made claims that there are rogue criminals among them, even implying extremists and terrorists, though there is no evidence to support this.

The caravan’s numbers – comprised largely of women and children – have fallen from roughly 7,200 to around 3,000, as Mexico has processed asylum for roughly 1,700 migrants while others have simply given up. They seek refuge from relentless crime, death, and lawlessness in their country, which in recent years has seen outside interference (including by the United States) and the installation of a right-wing dictator.

President Trump has repeatedly told Mexico to return them to Honduras and has even threatened to cut off aid to Honduras. Using the crisis to enhance his stance on tough borders and the so-called immigration security threat, he declared that he may use section 212(f) of the National Security Act to declare people ineligible for asylum. In addition, the admin argues that these migrants pose a security threat to the U.S., and thousands of troops are being sent to the southern border to reinforce it.

Some critics point out that the president is using the caravan as boogiemen to win votes during the mid-term elections, and using the troops for this task is cynical and corrupt. Others fear that the deployment of soldiers will escalate the potential for violence and even human rights violations. Even R.J. Hauman, Government Relations Director of the well-known anti-immigration hate group F.A.I.R., recognized that sending troops to the border is costly and ineffective. In other words, it is a publicity stunt, and we believe it is clearly meant to cast the caravan as a threat.

For more on the president’s inhumane plans, please see: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/pentagon-plans-to-dispatch-800-more-troops-to-us-mexico-border-in-response-to-migrant-caravan/2018/10/25/6a121944-d868-11e8-83a2-d1c3da28d6b6_story.html