The size of a migrant caravan marching north toward the US border is increasing in size even as President Trump escalates his rhetoric. In a series of tweets Monday, Trump called the caravan a national emergency, blamed Democrats for weak immigration laws, asserted that "criminals and unknown Middle Easterners" were among the migrants, and said the US would now start "cutting off, or substantially reducing" aid to Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador for not stopping their citizens from joining the group. Details and developments:
- The caravan: Estimates of its size range from 5,000 to 7,000, reports NPR. The caravan began in Honduras, gained size as it moved north, and now most of its members are camped in Tapachula, Mexico.
- What's next: A caravan leader, David Lopez, says the group will likely remain in Tapachula for a few days as members decide whether to continue the march to the US border, per the Wall Street Journal. The newspaper reports that several hundred returned to Honduras in buses, and another large group may try to seek asylum in Mexico.