As the 4000-strong migrant caravan from Honduras gathers more and more supporters in its march to the American Southern border, President Trump threatens to stop it with military might.
Where previously he threatened to withhold billions of dollars worth of financial aid from Honduras and its neighbors if they refused to stop this march, their lack of action prompted a tweetstorm that was considered fiery by even his standards, one of his tweets read, "....In addition to stopping all payments to these countries, which seem to have almost no control over their population, I must, in the strongest of terms, ask Mexico to stop this onslaught - and if unable to do so I will call up the U.S. Military and CLOSE OUR SOUTHERN BORDER!..."
I am watching the Democrat Party led (because they want Open Borders and existing weak laws) assault on our country by Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, whose leaders are doing little to stop this large flow of people, INCLUDING MANY CRIMINALS, from entering Mexico to U.S.....
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 18, 2018
....In addition to stopping all payments to these countries, which seem to have almost no control over their population, I must, in the strongest of terms, ask Mexico to stop this onslaught - and if unable to do so I will call up the U.S. Military and CLOSE OUR SOUTHERN BORDER!..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 18, 2018
....The assault on our country at our Southern Border, including the Criminal elements and DRUGS pouring in, is far more important to me, as President, than Trade or the USMCA. Hopefully Mexico will stop this onslaught at their Northern Border. All Democrats fault for weak laws!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 18, 2018
According to NBCnews, the caravan which is approximately 4,000 or more people as of Thursday morning, has prompted Mexican police to send 500 of their federal police officers to enforce their southern border. The Associated Press reported the Mexican government has proclaimed that anybody with travel documents and correct visa materials will be permitted to pass, but officials warned that attempts to cross in an "irregular" fashion would result in detainment or deportation.
Furthermore, Fox News' coverage states that, "The AP added that none of the migrants its reporters spoke to were carrying passports, which all but assures a high-stakes showdown with Mexican border officials in the coming days." A Senior State Department official noted in an interview that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will soon be visiting Panama and Mexico to:
"discuss our ongoing security cooperation efforts to disrupt the illicit movement of cash, weapons, drugs across our shared border as well as the issue of stemming illegal immigration and strengthening accountability for corruption and human rights abuses, and bringing members of transnational criminal organizations to justice."