As of right now, more than 5,000 migrants hailing from all over Central America are making their way toward the U.S. The Caravan, as its now called, started mainly in Honduras and slowly picked its way around to two other major countries, El Salvador and Guatemala. It is said that the Caravan started getting advertised all over social media. According to The Washington Post, the Caravan was promoted on Facebook posts, group chats, and television ads. These promotions urged people to join the traveling group of migrants and gave information on things such as time and dates. Slowly, over time, the Caravan picked up popularity as it made its way through Honduras. It amassed thousands of migrants willing to make the daunting trip across Central America.

These people are said to be fleeing poverty violence. Gangs such as MS-13 and Barrio 18 plague the Northern Triangle: Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras. Many families are fleeing for their lives; one family is leaving after their 16 year old son refused to sell drugs and another whose daughter was raped and kidnapped. Others are leaving because they have little to support their family. In Honduras, the average person lives on a wage of $2.50, and government amenities like healthcare and education are extremely terrible. Some are also deportees trying to make their way back to their families in the U.S.

The Caravan is now less than 1,000 miles outside of the U.S border in Mexico. President Trump is deploying more than 800 troops, according to the Pentagon, adding to the already 2,100 National Guard soldiers already there. President Trump is considering restricting asylum and there are reports that it will be denied altogether in the upcoming days. Another plan of action the President has vowed to take is cutting aid to the Northern Triangle. President Donald Trump’s opinion toward this situation is mainly voiced on his twitter account. For example, he recently tweeted, “….In addition to stopping all payments to these countries, which seem to have almost no control over their population, I must, in the strongest of terms, ask Mexico to stop this onslaught – and if unable to do so I will call up the U.S. Military and CLOSE OUR SOUTHERN BORDER!..”

All in all, it is still not clear about what will become of these migrants. Will they be denied asylum? Will they be allowed entry? These are all questions that will be answered in the upcoming weeks as the migrants will slowly begin to arrive at the border, leaving the President and the government with no choice but to act.