President Donald Trump is praising the Mexican government for breaking up a “caravan” of Central American migrants and avoiding “a giant scene” at the U.S. border.
In a Thursday morning tweet, the president credits “the strong immigration laws of Mexico and their willingness to use them.” It comes hours after Trump signed a proclamation directing the deployment of National Guard troops to assist in securing the U.S.-Mexico border.
Trump has seized on news reports that the migrant group was traveling toward the U.S. Organizers of the migrant group said they never intended to reach the U.S. border.
Trump adds that “Border crossings are at a still UNACCEPTABLE 46 year low.”
Via Crucis in Mexico (Photo: CNN)
What Trump doesn’t get about the caravan
The caravan is one of many annual marches called Via Crucis in Mexico. These pilgrimages have become so symbolic, that many use that to take a stand on issues like immigration.
They typically start off with a lot of people, and participants drop off at different points along the route. This particular Via Cruz, organized by Pueblo Sin Fronteras (The People Without Borders), is now in its eighth year of the annual caravan and is made up of mostly Central Americans.
The organizers have said all along they would travel north in unity to Mexico City, and SOME will try to make it to the US/Mexico border to seek asylum.
