Number of caravan migrants allowed into US rises to 158

Seventy more Central American migrants were allowed to cross into the U.S. on Thursday, bringing the total number to 158 over the last few days, Reuters reported.

The group of men, women and children were allowed to make their way into the port of entry border crossing in California on Thursday morning, joining dozens of others who had already crossed.

Roughly 60 more migrants are still waiting in Mexico, hoping to make it into the U.S. to seek asylum, Reuters reported.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials have only allowed small numbers of asylum-seekers through at a time, because the processing facility was already at capacity upon the group’s arrival.

{mosads}As the members of the so-called caravan of migrants continue to make their way into the U.S., Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced on Wednesday that U.S. attorneys and federal judges will be sent to the southern border to deal with immigration cases. 

“We are not going to let this country be overwhelmed,” Sessions said. “People are not going to caravan or otherwise stampede our border. People should wait their turn.”

Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, responding to reports of the caravan, has warned that anyone who crosses the border illegally will be prosecuted.

The Department of Justice filed criminal charges on Monday against 11 members of the caravan.

The group of more than 1,000 immigrants from Central America made its way toward the U.S. border in recent weeks. Many of its members broke off from the group to seek asylum in Mexico, leaving roughly 200 people to seek asylum in the U.S.

President Trump has repeatedly used the caravan to push for stricter immigration laws. He has called current U.S. immigration laws “pathetic” and “a joke” when referencing the group of migrants.