White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said Wednesday that Mexico has taken significant steps to slow down the caravan of Central American migrants as it makes its way toward the southern U.S. border.
In a Fox News interview, Sanders said specifically that Mexico has helped make sure caravan members stay marching on their feet, and aren’t taking buses or other transportation.
“They have helped stop a lot of the transportation means of these individuals in these caravans, forcing them walking,” she said. “They have helped us in new ways to slow this down, to break this up and keep it from moving as aggressively toward the United States.”
Sanders said Mexico could “do more,” but said officials have so far worked well with the U.S. side.
“Mexico has stepped up in an unprecedented way,” Sanders said. “We want to continue to be able to work with them.”
Sanders spoke just minutes before President Trump tweeted that Mexican officials didn’t do enough to keep the caravan from crossing their southern border with Guatemala.
“The Caravans are made up of some very tough fighters and people,” Trump tweeted. “Fought back hard and viciously against Mexico at Northern Border before breaking through. Mexican soldiers hurt, were unable, or unwilling to stop Caravan. Should stop them before they reach our Border, but won’t!”
[Related: Trump: Asylum seekers can expect ‘tent cities’ upon reaching the US]
The Caravans are made up of some very tough fighters and people. Fought back hard and viciously against Mexico at Northern Border before breaking through. Mexican soldiers hurt, were unable, or unwilling to stop Caravan. Should stop them before they reach our Border, but won’t!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 31, 2018
Trump also promised again that the U.S. military would be used to prevent anyone in the caravan from entering the United States.
Our military is being mobilized at the Southern Border. Many more troops coming. We will NOT let these Caravans, which are also made up of some very bad thugs and gang members, into the U.S. Our Border is sacred, must come in legally. TURN AROUND!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 31, 2018
