Caravan of migrants at US border who were turned away by border patrol vow to wait until granted asylum
A caravan of migrants from Central America were temporarily turned away from the US-Mexico border by the United States Border Patrol authorities citing that they were unable to process them because of space constraints, according to reports.
The asylum-seeking migrants, however, have vowed to remain outside an immigration processing center at the border in San Diego until "every last one" of them is admitted into the country, an organizer with the caravan on Sunday said, according to CNN.
Hundreds of migrants reportedly marched from Friendship Park in Tijuana, Mexico, the San Diego port entry and stood on the Mexican side of the border. The port was the final leg for many of the migrants who reached Tijuana on Tuesday, reports state.
An organizer with Pueblo Sin Fronteras, Alex Mensing, said that at least 50 migrants were admitted to the immigration processing center on the Mexico side. However, CNN reports state that the migrants instead congregated on a bridge leading towards the US border and waited to be processed by American officials in hope of asylum.
The US Customs and Border Protection officials reportedly said that the port had reached its maximum capacity and the migrants who want to get into the United States may need to wait in Mexico for a while. The officials reportedly made the statement before the caravan arrived.
The caravan, which the organizers created to bring more attention to the plight of migrants, is reportedly a humanitarian and activist mission.
President Donald Trump believes that the caravan is a threat to the United States safety. The Republican has frequently targeted the group in his tweets, stating that the activities of the organization suggested that America needs to tighten its immigration laws.
Trump has even asked the states bordering Mexico to send troops to the border to tighten security in the region until his proposed border wall is built. The Republican, during his presidential campaign in 2016, had vowed to construct a wall along the US-Mexican border, in an attempt to keep illegal immigrants at bay, who he claimed brought "drugs" into the US. His proposal received worldwide condemnation.
Reports state that the United States has a legal obligation to hear the asylum claims made by the migrants, however, a majority of claimants from Central America often end up losing their cases.