Riding on nine buses, with a Honduran flag flying out of one of them, about 400 migrants arrived in Tijuana on Tuesday, after a month long journey from Central America.
Ports of entry at the U.S.-Mexico border will be experiencing longer wait times starting today, as U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) prepare for the first wave of the migrant caravan.
In San Diego, the Department of Defense began working with CBP to install barbed wire, barricades, and fencing to close three lanes at the San Ysidro port of entry and one lane at the Otay Mesa port.
Defense Secretary Mattis will be visiting the U.S.-Mexico border today–his first visit since it was announced that thousands of troops would be deployed to the border.
Currently, about 7,000 soldiers and Marines have arrived in Texas, Arizona, and California, with President Trump warning that another 8,000 could be deployed if needed.
Despite President Trump’s tough talk and action on the border, many migrants don’t seem to be deterred.
One, named Maribel, 22, from Honduras, told the Daily Mail, “We are well aware of everything Trump has been saying. Let them close whatever they want to close, but we are going to get through anyway.”
Conservative filmmaker Ami Horowitz recently embedded himself with one of the caravan groups, and claims that despite the message that women and children made up a large portion of the caravan, he claims 90-95% of the migrants were male.
“The major narrative being pushed by the press has been that the migrants are leaving Honduras because they are escaping extreme violence and that their lives are under constant threat, setting up the strategy that they would be able to enter the U.S. by asking for asylum,” said Horowitz.
However, once he asked the migrants why they wanted to enter the country, many replied they wanted to come to the United States for the economy, jobs and education, with some saying they wanted to take advantage of the generous benefits provided in the U.S.
Horowitz said that many of the migrants seem peaceful, and are seeking a better life for themselves and their families, however, they acknowledge that some “bad people” are mixed in, with one migrant claiming to have been a victim of violence throughout their journey to the border.
New video! I went to Mexico and embedded with the migrant caravan. Check it out and see the truth about what is going on. @RealDeanCain @dbongino @therealroseanne @benshapiro @realDonaldTrump #MigrantCaravan #FoxNews #CNN #Immigration pic.twitter.com/vmvrJH20V7
— Ami Horowitz (@AmiHorowitz) November 12, 2018
