The migrant caravan moving across Central America earlier this year made headlines across the country.
After denying asylum offers from Mexico, the caravan tried to defy Trump and illegally cross into America.
And now these two Democratic lawmakers have helped to bring them across the border.
Donald Trump kicked off his presidential campaign in 2015 with a promise to secure the border and end illegal immigration.
He won the Republican nomination after promising to build a wall along the southern border with Mexico.
And as President, he has tried to make good on his word.
But while Congress continues to debate over immigration, and Nancy Pelosi threatens to shut down the government forever in order to deny Trump’s wall, these two Democratic members of Congress are working to get the migrant caravan across the border and onto American soil.
Two open borders Democrats, Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-CA) and Rep. Nanette Barragan, personally made their way down to the US-Mexican border at Tijuana.
Working with other open-borders groups, the California Democrats tried to force their way through U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) but were denied.
However, the Democratic lawmakers are using asylum requests to get migrants across the border.
Among those brought across the border were Maria Meza and her kids, who became famous last month for the multiple photos showing them running away from tear gas, which was deployed to prevent the caravan from storming the border.
While asylum requests were used to bring Meza and her kids into the country, seeking asylum in the United States is a complicated process which is different than regular immigration.
What’s more, asylum laws do not allow for economic immigrants to get green cards and then jobs, as many from the caravan are looking for.
It remains to be seen whether the other migrants will try to follow the same path as Meza, and whether immigration judges will grant the requests.
What’s more, critics claim the caravan is not seeking asylum in the United States from persecution, but rather the welfare programs offered by the Federal government and states like California.
This could explain why the caravan marched all the way to the California border despite the fact that the Texan border with Mexico was far closer.
Breitbart reports:
“The staged event sought to highlight the effort by border officers to slow the northward flow of poor, uneducated migrants who are seeking U.S. welfare, schools, healthcare, and jobs.”
Gomez and Barragan, however, claim that border officials are legally required to let the entire caravan into the United States even before their individual requests for asylum are approved or denied.
Both members of Congress took to Twitter to help the migrants jump in line ahead of other asylum seekers at the border.
“After 7hrs, I can now confirm: Maria Meza & her kids … just filed for asylum. They’re on American soil,” said Rep. Gomez.
With the fight heating up in Washington over border funding and building Trump’s wall, it’s clear the battle lines are quickly being drawn and that Democrats are using the caravan as an emotional tactic to fight back against one of President Trump’s top agenda items.
Do you agree Representatives Gomez and Barragan are using the caravan as a political stunt?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
