Trump repeats refusal to take in Honduran caravan migrants

Tapachula (Mexico), Oct 22 (IANS) Hundreds of migrants remained at the Rodolfo Robles bridge crossing point over the Suchiate river on the Guatemalan border on Sunday, waiting to cross into Mexico to continue their journey to try and reach the US.

On Friday, a large group tried to enter Mexico by breaking down the gate at the frontier. A number of the unarmed Mexican police stationed at the site were injured when the hundreds of migrants stormed the gate and pushed into Mexican territory, reports Efe news.

The Guatemalan government said on Sunday that it has repatriated a total of 953 of the migrants to Honduras, most of them by bus but a few by air, according to its special plan to return them to their country.

Of the approximately 5,400 migrants who set out from Honduras a week ago, some 2,000 have returned to Honduras but 3,000 more are continuing with their plan to get to the southern US border.

US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that his administration was doing all it can to prevent the migrant caravan from crossing the border into Mexico, warning that his government would not allow them to enter the US.

"Full efforts are being made to stop the onslaught of illegal aliens from crossing our southern border. People have to apply for asylum in Mexico first, and if they fail to do that, the US will turn them away. The courts are asking the US to do things that are not doable!" said Trump on Twitter.

"The Caravans are a disgrace to the Democrat Party. Change the immigration laws NOW!" the President wrote in another tweet.

Earlier on Sunday, thousands of Honduran migrants who left their country in a caravan heading north resumed their journey after fulfilling Mexico’s migration requirements to ensure that the US southern neighbor did not deport them if they had entered that country illegally.

According to officials with Mexico’s Civil Protection service, more than 3,000 migrants are en route along the 40-km stretch between Ciudad Hidalgo and Tapachula, in the southern Mexican state of Chiapas, where they announced that they intend to spend Sunday night.

A force of more than 600 state and federal police have set up a roadblock some 5 kilometres outside Tapachula, apparently with the aim of halting the massive caravan before it reaches the city.