Mexico warns migrant caravan to avoid deportation after Trump threat

The Hill ^ | 10/17/18 | RAFAEL BERNAL

[yesthatjallen]

The Mexican government on Wednesday warned Central American migrants moving north in a caravan to avoid detention and deportation back to their home countries, a move that follows President Trump warning he could cut off aid if the caravan is not stopped.

In a joint statement, the secretaries of foreign affairs and the interior stopped short of shutting the country's southern border to the Hondurans, while making clear Mexico will enforce its immigration laws.

"In compliance with current national legislation, any person who enters the country in an irregular manner, will be rescued and subject to an administrative procedure and, where appropriate, will be returned to their country of origin, in a safe and orderly manner," reads the statement.

About 3,000 Honduran nationals crossed from Honduras to Guatemala Monday, traveling together with the stated intent of seeking asylum in the United States. The caravan has since grown to over 4,000 people, according to a report by NBC News.

Mexico also assigned an extra 500 federal police officers to patrol its border with Guatemala ahead of the caravan's arrival.

Mexico's move is the latest in a series of actions by regional governments to separate themselves from the caravan, after Trump tweeted Tuesday that he informed Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez that "if the large Caravan of people heading to the U.S. is not stopped and brought back to Honduras, no more money or aid will be given to Honduras, effective immediately!"

Guatemalan authorities arrested a caravan organizer, Bartolo Fuentes, who is also a former Honduran lawmaker.

Honduran authorities released a statement urging "the Hondurans taking part in this irregular mobilization not to be used by a movement that is clearly political," reported Reuters.

And a senior Trump administration official told reporters at the White House Wednesday "this caravan did not happen organically."

Still, Mexico's response was tempered with instructions for migrants on how to legally enter and seek asylum in the country, "in adherence to a migration policy that respects the human rights of all migrants and international humanitarian law, recognizes the right of freedom of movement of persons and the right of any individual to seek refugee status."

Mexican authorities said incoming Central American migrants would be allowed to enter the country at official ports of entry if they have visas, or if they plan to claim asylum.

Mexican authorities said all incoming refuge and asylum seekers would remain in detention in migratory stations for a period of up to 90 days while their claims are processed.

Still, the southern border of Mexico is porous and thousands of Central American migrants cross it, legally or illegally, without getting stopped by Mexican authorities.

A record number of Central American families crossed the U.S.-Mexico border in September, according to a report by the Washington Post, after crossing into Mexico.

The growth in family crossings over the year has been driven in large part by increased emigration from Guatemala, and to a slightly lesser extent, from Honduras, according to figures released monthly by Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

CBP has yet to release official numbers for border apprehensions in September.

Trump administration officials blame "catch and release" immigration policies -- Trump's description of legal limits on family detention -- for the surge in family-based border crossings.

“On the news in Guatemala they are saying that you can get a work permit if you’re in a family, if you’re coming with your child, and that you’re going to be released,” said Henry Lucero, Phoenix field office director for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, in an interview with Arizona radio station KTAR Monday.

Adam Isacson, a Central American security expert at the Washington Office on Latin America, told The Hill in an email that there are many more push factors in play, including a drought in Guatemala's northern highlands, and drug cartel-fueled criminality.

But Isacson added that human smugglers play a role too, making pitches on social media and community radio that the Trump administration's reprieve on family separations at the U.S.-Mexico border is only temporary.

"[It's] unclear how much of this is a sense that family separation stopped but something more hardline could come soon, so we’re in a time between crackdowns," wrote Isacson.

[Pearls Before Swine]

15 days is not long enough to walk. It is long enough if they are allowed on trains or provided with buses.

[hal ogen]

Shoot every one of them who illegally crosses our border .

[Robert DeLong]

Trump warns Guatemala, Honduras, and Salvador about migrant caravan

“We have today informed the countries of Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador that if they allow their citizens, or others, to journey through their borders and up to the United States, with the intention of entering our country illegally, all payments made to them will STOP (END)!” Trump tweeted.

Tens of thousands of Central Americans have fled their countries seeking refugee status because of poverty and rising crime rates in their home countries.

[drpix]

When are the courts going to stop their 5th column collaboration and/or when is the Congress going to stop surrendering?

[The_Republic_Of_Maine]

Demon-Rats are desperate for these new voters, they know they are going to creamed on Nov 6, 2018

[Fledermaus]

It is another left wing ploy to attack Trump. These people are being paid to come here.

Notice how they all look like they just bought clothes from Wal-Mart? New shirts, shoes, etc. Many with words in English.

Yet they carry flags from the s-hole countries they are coming from?

Fake migration.

I can’t believe the Dems are so stupid they think this will work. It just pisses off the Trump base more.

And Rinos better build the wall or get out of the way.

[RoseofTexas]

WHEN AMERICAN PATRIOTS TAKE A STAND ON THE BORDER AND defend our soil!!! Our government is unwilling to do it WE MUST TAKE IT INTO OUR OWN HANDS!! If not we’ll be in the same shoes as England! Their people bend over and let their government screw them over! Now London is Londonistan ..the invaders won without firing a single shot!!!!

[Lumper20]

These liberal/socialist/ commies want the Caucasians to be the MINORITY. They refuse to teach real US history about who came here, who settled here, who fought the damn Brits, Who fought the damn French (1812) etc. I recall as a kid in the early 50’s both my sister and I looked out at Valcour Island from my late grandfather Marshall’s main camp. We could imagine the only Naval battle of that war as we would fine old green glass bottles in the many rocks and small cave like sides of the bank for the 1/2- 3/4 mile of shoreline that the Marshall family camp covered.

[drpix]

"Notice how they all look like they just bought clothes from Wal-Mart? New shirts, shoes, etc. Many with words in English."

And notice how they are overwhelmingly "military age" young males - just as the Muslim invaders of Europe.

[LeoWindhorse]

screw the ‘families’ ...not one comes thru

[LeoWindhorse]

assign civilian militias with free fire license to the border

[JBW1949]

They want Caucasians (other than themselves) to be in the minority and have no control...

[redcatcherb412]

They are being paid!!!

Wouldn't that make them invading mercenaries ?

[xrmusn]

This includes trade agreements, too (I’m looking at YOU, Mexico).
= = = = = = = = = =
Mexico-

For EVERY one illegal that ‘makes it’ to US Southern Border, we will round up and deport 50 illegals- Mexicans and others- and dump them over YOUR border.

Kind of like the (old) story of a Mexican earthquake killing thousands and countries around the world donated supplies and money while PDT returned 10 Mexicans for every 1 lost in the quake.

[Magnatron]

It is another left wing ploy to attack Trump

If it is, it’s another tone deaf move by the left to throw the election. Outside of their lunatic fring, this won’t go over well with average voters.

[MagillaX]

So we are told there is a need for guest workers. Where are the companies signing these people up after a good health and background check.

The migrants are being paid to march I am sure they would go elsewhere if they were paid as well.

[ExTexasRedhead]

Mercenaries for George Soros and the DNC, ya think?

[Freee-dame]

They are not walking the entire south to north distance of Mexico.

[trebb]

Trump is the “E. F. Hutton” of politicians...when he talks, folks sit up and listen...