President Trump declined to guess Monday how many people deserve asylum from the illegal immigrant caravan that’s reached the U.S. border, but he said the mass of people exposes major holes in American immigration law.
Mr. Trump, answering a question from The Washington Times at a White House press conference, said the caravan numbers have been pared dramatically as it made its way across Mexico. He said it’s “down to 100” people, from a starting point organizers claimed to be about 1,500,
But he said those that have made it are testing America’s generosity.
“We’re doing the best we can with it. But we have to have changes in Congress — but we need a wall,” he said.
The president appears to have been watching video and looking at photos of the caravan. Some people associated with the caravan climbed the border wall in San Diego over the weekend, perching on top of it.
One source said more than 30 people associated with the caravan have actually been apprehended jumping the wall since Friday. They are being processed for that illegal act.
But most of the people that are part of the caravan — organizers recently put the number at 600, far higher than Mr. Trump’s estimate — are taking a more orderly approach, showing up at the official port of entry and demanding asylum.
• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.
• S.A. Miller can be reached at smiller@washingtontimes.com.
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