Originally Posted by Octang Frye

. What happened to the 700 refugees captured by ISIS - including US and European nationals? ISIS threatening to execute 10 a day..

Originally Posted by Hiro11

Overall, this seems like a classic October surprise. The politics of this are exasperating on all sides:
1. The "refugee" status claimed by some in the caravan is dubious if not downright false. Certainly the fact that they've passed through other countries already makes it clear that the US is the destination. Mexico has already offered many of then asylum, which was promptly rejected. That's hardly the behavior of a refugee, its the behavior of an economic migrant who wants to move to the US. These are different things.
2. The background of the caravan is suspicious. Pence's claim of "outside funding" is unproven but I don't think it can be rejected out of hand (as the media seems desperate to do). The caravan was clearly started by Honduran political activists and carries a clear political motive. Portraying this as a simple case of people looking for a better life (as the media has strained to do) is disingenuous.
3. Trump seizing on this as a sign of the "danger" of immigrants is ridiculous. Obviously this riles up his base but I don't think most Americans buy this line. The caravan is, in my mind, a political stunt. That's it. Sending troops to the border is beyond absurd, it's a both a terrible waste and needless escalation.

I'm so tired of childish, oversimplified Tweet-war politics like this. Can we please get some adults in government and the media. Please.

Originally Posted by Sugarmooma

There are actually a very large group of them that have applied for refugee status in Mexico.
I guess it depends what news reports you watch, read or listen to. Mostly it is all over exaggerated and blown out of proportion.

Originally Posted by Hiro11

Overall, this seems like a classic October surprise. The politics of this are exasperating on all sides:
1. The "refugee" status claimed by some in the caravan is dubious if not downright false. Certainly the fact that they've passed through other countries already makes it clear that the US is the destination. Mexico has already offered many of then asylum, which was promptly rejected. That's hardly the behavior of a refugee, its the behavior of an economic migrant who wants to move to the US. These are different things.
2. The background of the caravan is suspicious. Pence's claim of "outside funding" is unproven but I don't think it can be rejected out of hand (as the media seems desperate to do). The caravan was clearly started by Honduran political activists and carries a clear political motive. Portraying this as a simple case of people looking for a better life (as the media has strained to do) is disingenuous.
3. Trump seizing on this as a sign of the "danger" of immigrants is ridiculous. Obviously this riles up his base but I don't think most Americans buy this line. The caravan is, in my mind, a political stunt. That's it. Sending troops to the border is beyond absurd, it's a both a terrible waste and needless escalation.

I'm so tired of childish, oversimplified Tweet-war politics like this. Can we please get some adults in government and the media. Please.

Originally Posted by kimilseung

The UN says 1,500 have applied for asylum in Mexico.

On other issues.....
Of course it is organised, people have organised to avoid the gang protection rackets that exist on the migrant routes through Mexico. The politics is grass roots organizing in Honduras by Hondurans. A Honduran politician did post about it on Facebook which publicized the then smaller caravan, and swelled its numbers This caravan is based on foot, so no buses involved for most in this (if they were on buses they would have arrived, gone home to turn the lights out and got back to the US border by now). Food and shelter is provided by churches and other NGOs on route. More people joined in Guatemala, and some more in Southern Mexico

Originally Posted by jeepster

Mexico is not a poor country, in fact it is very wealthy. Mexico is in the G-20 and has the 11th largest GDP in the world but socially it's a caste system and the wealth doesn't get down to the bottom...so they send them up here.

Originally Posted by kimilseung

I am unclear how Mexico economy is relevant in this thread, the caravan is a reflection of the changing face of immigration at the US southern border, that has seen a drop in Mexicans trying to cross, and a rise in Honduran, Guatemalan, and Salvadoran movement.

Originally Posted by Rete

While economics do play an important part in the Hispanic migration from Central American countries to the US, this caravan on the surface appears to be principally asylum seekers. Can't that be said of any asylum seeker from any war torn or economically poor country. As they have little chance of being accepted as an immigrant to the US without the means to obtain a proper visa, the only avenues left to them are jumping the border and hiding in plain sight or seeking asylum. If you have nothing, the prospect of having even a small degree of 'something' in the US by whatever means available, is worth pursuing.

Originally Posted by Rete

While economics do play an important part in the Hispanic migration from Central American countries to the US, this caravan on the surface appears to be principally asylum seekers. Can't that be said of any asylum seeker from any war torn or economically poor country. As they have little chance of being accepted as an immigrant to the US without the means to obtain a proper visa, the only avenues left to them are jumping the border and hiding in plain sight or seeking asylum. If you have nothing, the prospect of having even a small degree of 'something' in the US by whatever means available, is worth pursuing.

Originally Posted by BritInParis

On that basis given the gang violence in places like Honduras and Guatemala it’s likely that many would be eligible for asylum in Mexico but not the United States.

Originally Posted by Shard

I wonder if there is any attempt to explain that to members of the caravan. There must be many that are under the mistaken belief that as they meet the broad asylum criteria they will be equally eligible under the narrower criteria. It might save them a significant amount of shoe leather.

Originally Posted by BritInParis

I doubt that figures in their thinking.

Originally Posted by Shard

​​​​​​Perhaps not, but it's in everyone's interest that they are informed. It does seem a disaster waiting to happen. Maybe after the election is out of the way, Ms Ocasio-Cortez could go down there and explain their predicament.

Originally Posted by BritInParis

Whether their asylum claim is ultimately successful or not they’ll already be living in the US.