Caravan from Honduras

            The caravan from Honduras continues to be in the news. The caravan seems to be losing numbers as some members of it choose to seek asylum in Mexico and others choose to return to their home country. They may have heard that the United States is no longer welcoming illegal immigrants with open arms.

            The migrants may have heard that fewer than 10 percent of immigrants from Central America qualify for asylum in the United States. Instead of being “asylum seekers fleeing for their life,” the migrants are actually seeking to enter the United States for economic reasons.

Therefore, they do not quality for asylum. 

            The travelers may also have heard of the tough stance that former Attorney General

Jeff Sessions made a change to the asylum rules before resigning. He made the change to asylum rules to “ensure the original intent of the concept. He eliminated claims of `fleeing violence, gangs, or domestic abuse’ from being eligible for asylum.”

            President Donald Trump recently signed an executive order stating that aliens who cross the border illegally and are apprehended will not be allowed to seek asylum at all. They will simply be shipped home.

            These changes make it even more likely that the migrants will not receive asylum. The smart ones are seeking asylum in Mexico or returning to their home country rather than travel many more miles to the U.S. border only to be turned away. If they truly desire to enter the United States, they need to do it the legal way.