President Donald Trump threatened to end any and all payments to Honduras, Guatamela, and El Salvador after news broke a caravan of around 3,000 illegal immigrants marched through Guatemela on its way to the United States border.
Trump Threatens Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador
Trump took to Twitter to warn the marchers that if they attempt to enter the United States illegally they will be arrested, detained, and then sent back to their country of origin.
Anybody entering the United States illegally will be arrested and detained, prior to being sent back to their country!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 17, 2018
The President would follow that up by threatening Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador with a complete stop on all payments made to those countries from the United States.
We have today informed the countries of Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador that if they allow their citizens, or others, to journey through their borders and up to the United States, with the intention of entering our country illegally, all payments made to them will STOP (END)!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 17, 2018
The caravan began as a group of 160 migrants on Friday from the Honduran city of San Pedro Sula according to the Associated Press. Their numbers have rapidly increased to around 3,000 as they now march through Guatemala and receive aid from shelters there run by the Roman Catholic Church.
Trump had previously warned Honduras specifically that they needed to put a stop to the caravan.
The United States has strongly informed the President of Honduras that if the large Caravan of people heading to the U.S. is not stopped and brought back to Honduras, no more money or aid will be given to Honduras, effective immediately!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 16, 2018
Not only did Trump warn the governments via Twitter, but Vice President Mike Pence personally spoke with the Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernandez and Guatemalan president Jimmy Morales telling them, “no more aid if it’s not stopped!”
Honduras and Guatemala Take Action
Trump and Pence’s threats appear to have affected Honduras and Guatemela as officials from those countries have taken action. The government of Honduras issued a statement urging “the Hondurans taking part in this irregular mobilization not to be used by a movement that is clearly political.” According to Reuters a number of Hondurans participating in the caravan have also turned back.
Guatemalan security forces also detained the caravan’s leader, Bartolo Fuentes, who also happens to be a former Honduran lawmaker. Honduran officials explained that Fuentes was arrested because he “did not comply with Guatemalan immigration rules.” They indicated he would deported back to Honduras.
Before Fuentes was arrested he spoke in an interview, “What Trump says doesn’t interest us. These people are fleeing. These people are not tourists.”
While the main caravan already entered Guatemala, Honduran officials set up a road block on the border with Guatemala to prevent another smaller group from passing. However, the members of the caravan have begun using a different strategy according to police spokesman Alex Madrid, “We can’t attend to people en masse. People are going through one by one.”
President Trump Calls for Strong Border
President Trump hammered home the point that the United States needs immigration reform in order to stop these illegal immigrants from crossing the border. He urged Republicans to make immigration reform and a strong national border part of the debate leading up to the Midterms.
Hard to believe that with thousands of people from South of the Border, walking unimpeded toward our country in the form of large Caravans, that the Democrats won’t approve legislation that will allow laws for the protection of our country. Great Midterm issue for Republicans!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 17, 2018
Republicans must make the horrendous, weak and outdated immigration laws, and the Border, a part of the Midterms!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 17, 2018
While Trump encourages Republicans to bring up immigration, Democrat leader Nancy Pelosi made it one of her main issues when she declared that she will do everything in her power to put a stop to the border wall if Democrats gain power following the midterms.
President Trump is right. We need to beef up our border security and prevent these people from illegally entering the United States.
Do you agree with President Trump that we should stop aid to these countries if they continue to allow illegal immigration into the United States?