Sign up for our daily briefing
Make your busy days simpler with Axios AM/PM. Catch up on what's new and why it matters in just 5 minutes.
Stay on top of the latest market trends
Subscribe to Axios Markets for the latest market trends and economic insights. Sign up for free.
Sports news worthy of your time
Binge on the stats and stories that drive the sports world with Axios Sports. Sign up for free.
Tech news worthy of your time
Get our smart take on technology from the Valley and D.C. with Axios Login. Sign up for free.
Get the inside stories
Get an insider's guide to the new White House with Axios Sneak Peek. Sign up for free.
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Want a daily digest of the top Denver news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Denver
Want a daily digest of the top Des Moines news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Des Moines
Want a daily digest of the top Twin Cities news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Twin Cities
Want a daily digest of the top Tampa Bay news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Tampa Bay
Want a daily digest of the top Charlotte news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Charlotte
Honduran migrants climb the gate of the Guatemala-Mexico international border bridge. Photo: Pedro Pardo / AFP via Getty Images
Honduran immigrants in the caravan of about 4,000 people heading toward the U.S. tore down a border gate between Guatemala and Mexico on Friday afternoon, the AP reports. A small group crossed into Mexico Thursday night.
The big picture: President Trump has threatened to cut off federal aid for countries such as Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, reevaluate his proposed trade deal with Mexico and even "close our southern border" in response to the caravan. Mexico has sent additional police to the border and requested that the UN set up a migrant processing center on the border, according to the Washington Post.
Situational awareness: Mexico is granting humanitarian visas to members of the caravan, but only 100 per day, the Wall Street Journal reports. This will allow them to be legally present in Mexico while their cases are being reviewed, but also does not stop them from heading to the U.S. border.
- Meanwhile, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is meeting with top Mexican officials on Friday.
- This all comes weeks before the midterm elections, which means immigration will be back in the limelight — something both Republicans and Democrats will spin to their advantage.
September saw a record-breaking number of arrests of immigrant family members at the Southern Border — signaling the administration's border crackdown and family separation policy have been ineffective at deterring illegal immigration. The new numbers reportedly sparked outrage from Trump and fierce arguments between top White House officials.
What to watch: Trump and Republicans continue to blame Democrats for obstructing their efforts to implement stricter immigration laws which they claim would have prevented the surge in border crossers and the caravan. Meanwhile, expect Democrats to remind voters about Trump's hostile rhetoric toward immigrants and the family separation policy, which earlier this year launched nation-wide protests, an executive order and a chaotic family reunification process.
Between the lines: Many of the migrants in the caravan are fleeing violence in their home countries in the hopes of finding asylum in the U.S. But the caravan also serves as a political protest in the face of the Trump administration's immigration policies.