More than 50 Central American migrants who traveled in a caravan to the U.S. through Mexico are having their claims of asylum processed, NBC News reported.
The 53 asylum-seekers who have been permitted to cross the border were part of the caravan of migrants fleeing violence in their home countries. The caravan, which has been targeted by the Trump administration for flouting U.S. immigration laws, was stopped by border officials at the checkpoint.
At least 100 other migrants are still waiting on the Mexican side of San Diego’s San Ysidro border crossing in hopes of achieving similar consideration by U.S. immigration authorities. The holding facility at the San Ysidro crossing has reportedly been at capacity since the caravan arrived.
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The new considerations came the same day that Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced 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 warned last week as the caravan approached that the U.S. was prepared to “enforce the immigration laws as set forth by Congress” after instructions by President Trump to deny entrance to the migrants.
In a tweet last week, Trump said the migrants were “openly defying our border,” blaming Democrats’ “open borders agenda” for illegal activity at the border.