Migrant caravan presses north toward US border

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo defended the administration’s hardline position on the migrant caravan on Tuesday, calling it a security risk.

“From a security standpoint, there is no proper accounting of who these individuals in the caravan are and this poses an unacceptable security risk to the United States,” Pompeo said.

He did not explicitly address the President’s claim about “Middle Easterners” in the caravan.

“The caravan will not cross our southern border illegally under any circumstances,” Pompeo said.

He urged those in the caravan to pursue legal immigration channels, such as applying for refugee status in the US or elsewhere.

“For those who say this is a hard-hearted stance, let’s not forget that the United States is a historically generous nation when it comes to immigration,” Pompeo said.

Asked whether it was “disingenuous” to tell migrants to apply for refugee status when the Trump administration continues to lower its refugee cap, Pompeo deflected about the US’ historic generosity.

“We’re a nation built on laws, we have an obligation — the President has an obligation to protect American sovereignty and to secure our borders, to know who is coming in and out of our country, it’s not only appropriate, it’s a duty of the United States government,” he said.

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